chicken run

Some vital stuff on the avian flu.

BTW if you find this dark image below intriguing, do scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post to discover the truth about the ill-fated bird.

U.S. Embassy Warden Message on Avian Flu

February 22, 2006

Malaysian government authorities have confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in the Gombak neighborhood of Kuala Lumpur.

The virus caused the death of approximately 40 chickens. We have received no reports of human transmission and no reports of outbreaks outside this immediate area.

The authorities have responded to the outbreak by culling chicken flocks in the area, restricting the transport of poultry, disinfecting coops in the neighborhood and monitoring the surrounding area.

We are advising Embassy staff to minimize any possible risk of exposure to the H5N1 virus by taking the following steps:

* Avoid physical contact with birds or their feces, in particular domestic poultry

* Avoid contact with people who come in contact with live poultry

* Avoid wet markets, chicken coops and other places where it would be easy to come into contact with birds or their waste

* Wash your hands frequently to minimize the risk of infection

* It is safe to consume poultry and eggs, but both should be thoroughly
cooked

* Wash the shells of eggs in soap and water to minimize the risk of infection

Additional country information can be obtained from the Department of State's Consular Information Sheets at http://travel.state.gov/ and from the Department of State's toll-free number, 1-888-407-4747, or if calling from overseas, 202-501-4444.

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs will keep international travelers up to date through their Avian flu fact sheet which can befound at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1181.html

All involved agencies throughout the U.S. Government are coordinating to maintain up to date U.S. information on pandemic flu and avian influenza at http://pandemicflu.gov/

Specific CDC travel information relating to avian influenza, including preventive measures, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm

WHO guidance related to avian influenza is available at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/

CDC Contact Information:
Public Inquiries:
English (888) 246-2675
Spanish (888) 246-2857
TTY (866) 874-2646
Mon-Fri 8am-11pm EST
Sat-Sun 10am-8pm EST
Address: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. (404) 639-3311

WHO Liaison Office in Washington DC
Contact Information:
Telephone: (202) 331-9081
Facsimile: (202) 331-9097
Address: WHO Liaison Office, 1775 K Street, N.W., Suite 430 Washington, D.C.
20006, USA

And now, just to satisfy any curiosities about the picture I pasted at the top of this page. It's not taken from any funny sites or on-line photo databases, no way José. In fact, it came with an interestingly peculiar though somewhat morbid true tale entitled:

Russian suicidal chicken hangs itself on a fence

Read all about it here