"Bird flu was in decline -- but health officials warned Monday that it appears to be on the rise again. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) "urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence" of the virus, which has crossed over from birds to infect 565 people and kill 331 of them since its appearance in 2003."
"At its peak in 2006, avian fluwas present in 63 countries around the world. Just two years later, it was gone from most, and cases of illness in humans followed suit, dipping to just 302 in 2008. But almost 800 cases of bird flu were recorded in people during the last flu season, and the virus recently spread to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Bulgaria, Romania, Nepal and Mongolia, the FAO reported."
Eryn Brown reports for the Los Angeles Times' Booster Shots blog August 29, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"U.N. Agency Warns of Possible Bird Flu Resurgence" (Reuters)
"Bird Flu Deaths in Asia Prompt Call for Scrutiny" (Reuters)
"Mutant Strain of Bird Flu Is Spreading... And It's Resistant To Existing Vaccines, Warns UN" (London Daily Mail)
"Mutant Bird Flu Strain Spreading In Asia" (Huffington Post)
