bird flu

People have been hearing a lot about H5N1 bird flu — or highly pathogenic avian influenza — since a B.C. teen became the first human to get the virus in Canada and is in hospital.

Experts and health authorities say that while the risk of human infection with the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza remains low, people should avoid contact with sick or dead birds.

The neglected environmental and health benefits of fighting Big Meat — for humans.

Asymptomatic cases may seem reassuring for the penguins, but scientists fear they could act as Trojan horses for other species.

Avian influenza has killed millions of birds. Shots to prevent it already exist. Why isn’t the entire poultry industry using them?

It is of critical concern that our next pandemic is being hastened by our use of animals susceptible to influenza, especially chickens and pigs.

First detected in Canada last year, the H5N1 virus has killed over 1.7 million of the country's domesticated fowl and wreaked havoc on poultry and egg farms.

The number of avian flu cases in Quebec is growing, with four poultry farms now affected by the virus.

The agency says avian influenza is not a significant public health concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds.

The focus of world leaders on responding to future outbreaks overlooks the far cheaper and more effective strategy of stopping the spillover of disease from animals to humans in the first place, scientists warn.