Disease

Swine Flu in Myanmar

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has asked the United Nations health agency for assistance in combating an outbreak of swine flu that has killed 13 people and infected about 50 others, mainly around the country’s largest city of Yangon. People across the former Burmese capital have donned surgical masks to ward off infection, and officials warned people to avoid crowded venues such as shopping malls. Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by the H1N1 virus. Infection occurs through contact with pigs or through the air between people. A 2009 outbreak killed about 285,000 people, mainly in Africa and Southeast Asia.

More Bird Flu Outbreaks in South Africa

Two months after the initial outbreak‚ further cases of H5N8 avian influenza have been reported on a farm in Mpumalanga.

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and the Poultry Disease Management Agency (PDMA) said this was reported by Astral Foods Limited (Astral) on a farm owned by the company in Standerton in the Lekwa District Municipality.

H5N8 is a rapidly spreading viral disease that can infect many types of birds. It exists naturally in many birds and can be transmitted through contact with infected animals or ingestion of infected food or water.

The latest incident brings the number of outbreaks on commercial farms over the past few weeks to five.