W O R S T
C A S E
S C E N A R I O:
METHODIST PREPARES FOR A
PANDEMIC B Y
S H E S H E
G I D D E N S
The question is no longer if, but when will the next major flu pandemic strike.
Dr. Jeffrey Kalina
30 VOLUME 4, NUMBER 2
With the rise in the global spread of bird flu in wild and domesticated birds, and the ease in which people travel from one continent to another, the question is no longer if, but when will the next major flu pandemic strike. Although no human infections of bird (avian) flu have been reported in the United States, hospitals and government agencies are preparing for the worst case scenario. The last catastrophic flu pandemic struck in 1918, affecting approximately onethird of the world’s population and killing approximately 50 to 100 million people worldwide. The reason for the great concern is that bird flu is highly lethal. Of the cases reported to the World Health Organization since 2003, more than half have resulted in death because humans have little immunity to bird flu. Bird flu is caused by avian influenza viruses (there are several subtypes) that occur naturally in wild birds, rarely making them sick. Infection can easily spread among birds and can make some domesticated birds, such as chickens and
WWW.METHODISTHEALTH.COM
