Avian Bird Flu Rages From Indonesia to India to the Doorsteps of England

In what can be described as a raging whirlwind trek from the Far East, Avian Bird Flu is presently expected to reach Britain early next week. Currently in over 10 countries, it swept into Europe late last week. Beginning in Greece, then Africa, Italy, Germany, Russia and France, the deadliest form of the disease has nations in emergency postures.

As a sign of the disease's ferocity, just a day after first announcing the presence of the flu in India, that country announced its first human fataility from the pestilence.

For timelines and graphics, as well as stories documenting the disease's rapid, week-long advance into Europe, see Dottore Pesta. ...

According to The Washington Post:

India reported its first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu Saturday after chickens were found to have died from the virus. A man in Indonesia also died from the disease, that country's 19th death, officials said.

Indian officials will immediately begin slaughtering hundreds of thousands of birds in a 1.5-mile radius around the poultry farms in the western town of Navapur, where the confirmed cases were detected, said Anees Ahmed, the Maharashtra state minister for animal husbandry.

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