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Living in terror of a virtual virus
Mauritian poultry farms are equipping themselves with special plastic gas chambers and carbon dioxide canisters in a bid to wipe out hundreds of thousands of their chicken in the event of an infection by the avian virus H5N1. This virus is as yet unknown on the island where there are at any time around one million chicken being reared in different farms.
But Mauritius is visited yearly, from October to February, by migratory birds from northern Europe. Some may transit in Africa before reaching our shores, especially at the Terre Rouge estuary, a very rich wetland preserved from development to protect these migratory birds. Around 13 species of these birds visit the island and very little is known about them. Only six species have been positively identified. Nothing is known about their flight path to Mauritius.
They are now under close scrutiny as the World Health Organisation says that recent events prove that some migratory birds are spreading the H5N1 virus in its highly pathogenic form. Dr Lewis Prayag, chief veterinary officer at the ministry of Agriculture says that fresh faeces left by migratory birds, which have already settled in Terre Rouge estuary are being regularly analysed. No H5N1 virus has yet been found in the faeces or the corpses of two dead birds collected by the veterinary services around the estuary. Tests are also being carried out regularly on all the poultry around the island.
No man’s land to prevent infection</B>
Dr Prayag also says that infected birds shed the flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions and faeces. Susceptible birds become infected when they are in contact with contaminated excretions or surfaces that have been contaminated with excretions. It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from close contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.
Everyday, dozens of Mauritian fishermen dig into the mud of the sanctuary, searching for worms, which they use as bait. If any H5N1 virus is discovered in the estuary, it will be turned into a no man’s land to prevent human infection. The spread of avian flu viruses from one sick person to another has been reported very rarely and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.
But scientists are living in dread of a potential mutation of the H5N1, which will enable the virus to be transmitted from human to human. In such circumstances, the world might experience a terrible pandemic, which might kill between 10 to 100 million human beings before any vaccine can be developed.
The only medicine that might slow the pandemic might be Tamiflu, an antiviral drug produced solely by Swiss laboratory Roche and sold at Rs 850 for a box of 10 capsules in Mauritius. The Mauritian governnment has stocked doses of Tamiflu for 1 300 people and might be buying another stock for another 300 000 persons.
Tamiflu is for treating patients as from one year of age, within a day ot two of the onset of their flu symptoms. Tamiflu is also used to reduce the chances of getting the flu in people above 13, who have a higher chance of catching it because they spend time with someone already infected. Tamiflu can also reduce the chance of infection if there is an outbreak in the community, according to Roche Laboratory.
A minority of Mauritians who are informed about these facts are rushing to pharmacies to buy whatever Tamiflu is available. This drug is now out of stock in most of the pharmacies and frustrated clients have resorted to Internet pharmacies to purchase their Tamiflu.
Dr Chrishna Nand Bissoonautsing, representative of WHO in Mauritius says that the H5N1 has so far infected 181 people and killed 61 in infections from bird or poultry to human. “There is no need for panic but prevention is better that cure.”
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