19th MAY 1997

Disease is always a topic that concerns a lot of people. One, because they want to know who is at risk and two, because they want to know how they can prevent it from happening to them and their families.

On this day in 1997, in Hong Kong, a three-year-old boy dies as the first victim of Avian Influenza, or A(H5N1). At the end of the year there was a total 18 recorded cases of those suffering from Avian Flu, with six of those victims dying.

In the hopes of preventing the disease from spreading to other countries, authorities in Hong Kong slaughter 1.6 million chickens and other domestic fowl.

The World Health Organisation and other organisations such as UNICEF, still concerned that the disease may mutate and cause a pandemic similar to the 1918/19 Spanish Flu pandemic, sponsor the release of several videos and campaigns instructing the public to maintain their distance from sick or injured birds, specifically chickens. The Spanish Influenza killed roughly between 20 and 100 million people worldwide. That's approximately 2.5 to 5% of the human population.

My favourite of these videos features Jackie Chan telling a group of children to stay away from chickens. This video has the ability to be both entertaining and informative. And it has Jackie Chan in it, martial arts king!

Avian flu and kung-fu! Hi-yah!







Video available:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NdOkV1l4pO0