Published: March 18, 2006 10:56 pm      

Red Cross wants public to be prepared

MERIDIAN — Cheri Barry, executive director of the Key Chapter of the American Red Cross, said that while people should not panic about the potential spread of bird flu, they should be prepared to protect themselves if the flu becomes a pandemic.

Barry said that while no human-to-human cases of the avian influenza have been reported, there is a growing concern that the flu could mutate and spread rapidly from person to person. For now, Barry said, those at risk of infection are those who handle poultry.

“There’s no certainty if or when a pandemic might occur, but we should take it seriously and build our capacity to be prepared,” Barry said.

Barry said bird flu was first detected in Asia in 1997. Since then, 16 countries have seen an outbreak of bird flu, and more than 200 million birds have been affected. She said there have been 176 human cases of bird flu and 97 deaths worldwide.

“Everything is an assumption at this point, but if it mutates and infects humans, it will spread rapidly,” Barry said.

Symptoms of bird flu are similar to those of the seasonal flu, but she said the Red Cross is working to make people aware. The Key Chapter will hold classes to inform the community of ways to prevent getting the flu and what to do if bird flu comes to Lauderdale and surrounding counties.

“Ten percent of people infected will not know they have the virus, so they would be out in the community infecting others,” she said. “We just don’t know anything about the survival rate, and there is not yet a vaccine.”

Barry said the virus usually affects a young age group because those are the ones who are working with poultry.

Dr. Jim Watson, state veterinarian, said people should use good hygiene when preparing poultry.

“We are asking people to use common sense when handling poultry,” he said, adding the state is working on a plan of action in the case bird flu is detected in Mississippi.

Barry said people should prepare by making sure they have a gallon of water for each person in a household, extra medications, canned food and enough supplies to last from four days to four weeks.

She said the American Red Cross would be in charge of feeding those who may be quarantined after becoming infected with the flu.

“We will take care of the immediate needs of those who have been infected,” she said. “We continue to need volunteers because if this hits, the hospitals will be full and people will have to be prepared to stay in their homes.”