The last year has seen a troubling rise of the bird flu around the globe, and it doesn’t seem to be subsiding.
Since the first human cases of bird flu were detected in 2013, over 1,200 cases worldwide have been recorded. But one-third of those cases have been in the last year.
While the H7N9 flu seemed to have been decreasing as a major threat in recent years, it seems to have now overtaken the H5N1 virus, and the American CDC is concerned with recent changes in the virus strain. The incoming Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price has been briefed by the CDC on the virus, which some experts warn has the making of an epidemic.
So far, all of the cases of human-contracted bird flu have taken place in China, with the exception of some tourists who had visited there and flown home. Virologists at the University of Hong Kong have called H7N9 “the most significant pandemic threat currently.”
While the US has an emergency stockpile of 12 million doses of an H7N9 vaccine, it would now most likely be ineffective as the virus has since evolved and changed.
This week in Geneva, WHO influenza experts convene to discuss a plan and make recommendations for the development of newer vaccines as well as how to tackle this growing concern.
Preparing for a disease outbreak takes into account the more grim side of survivalism. Disease is a silent killer, and can hit large populations quickly, causing panic, widespread sickness, and meltdown. Just watch the movie ‘Contagion’ to get a look at what it would be like if there were a global disease epidemic.
You will have to take into account not only caring for the sick and protecting yourself from disease, but properly disposing of the dead as well. Some items to stockpile for disease-related disasters specifically, beyond the normal stockpile items are:
- OTC medications
- Plastic sheeting
- Protective masks
- Sterile gloves
- Lots of bleach
- Blankets and cots
- Garbage bags
- Contractor bags
I’ll have to do a more detailed post soon on pandemic or epidemic disease preparedness, so stay tuned, and keep your eye on this story, as it seems to be taking a back page for most MSM outlets.
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