BuaNews (Tshwane)
Lavinia Mahlangu
2 August 2007
As more innovative solutions are sought to combat bird-flu, the United Nations has revealed it is looking towards applying space technology to help countries fight the virus, writes Lavinia Mahlangu.
This technology, according to the UN, has the potential to track the virus's path in the Asia-Pacific region, which has suffered by far the largest share of both human and avian infections in the world.
The department of Agriculture says South Africa remains free from H5N1 avian influenza.
The H5N1 strain has killed millions of birds and poultry around the world as well as more than 192 humans thus far, mostly in Asia. Of the 319 human cases and 192 deaths so far, 256 and 165 cases respectively have been in the Asia-Pacific region.
The proposed application of the space technology could be used as part of an integrated early-warning system.
Scientists fear the virus could mutate into one that is easily transmissible from human-to-human and trigger a global pandemic that could kill several million people.
South Africa, may glean some insights from this initiative, although the country has had an extensive surveillance programme in place since 2005.
All commercial and non-commercial chickens as well as commercial ostriches are regularly tested.
"Poultry and ostrich meat available on supermarket shelves in the country is safe to eat. All poultry meat should always be cooked until the pink colour has disappeared," the department said in a statement last month.
Although the country is clear of the H5N1 strain, the emergence of the H5N2 strain of avian flu, which is harmless to humans, was detected at an ostrich farm about 30km west of Mossel Bay in July last year.
This led to the department culling 8 000 ostriches on that Western Cape property.
This week about 60 experts from nearly 20 countries are meeting in Bangkok to examine how space technology can help to track the flight patterns of migratory birds, believed to have played a role in spreading the H5N1 virus.
This three-day meeting, which began on Wednesday, is hosted by the Information, Communication and Space Technology Division of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
Jointly organised with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, the China National Space Administration and the Geo-informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand, the meeting is investigating several potential uses of space-based technologies, such as geographic information systems, remote sensing and the Global Positioning System (GPS).
These could, for example, help to monitor and determine the migratory routes of wild birds.
"To make an avian influenza monitoring and early warning system effective, a mechanism needs to be set up to systematically collect and share information and participants will discuss ways for countries to cooperate in using space technology," UNESCAP explained.
This would track bird flu and other infectious diseases, such as malaria and schistosomiasis, a highly debilitating parasitic illness that affects some 200 million people worldwide.
Amid fears of H5N1 mutating into a form easily spread amongst humans, the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recently held its second regional Avian and Human Influenza Simulation in Jakarta, Indonesia, to model the impact of an evolving pandemic in the Asia Pacific region.
The 70 participants from more than 15 countries and several UN agencies replicated the roles of government departments, the tourism industry, international bodies, other stakeholders and tourists themselves.
It followed a similar exercise held in Paris in March, which focused on Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
With an estimated 10 million people travelling abroad at any given time and many more within their own countries, the UNWTO closely monitors general health risks and bird flu specifically.
The simulation helped to identify possible gaps in response systems and to understand the pressures and dynamics in a real-world situation.
It underscored the need for good planning, clear communications, a fully prepared and trained work force, and unambiguous procedures for customer and workplace safety.
"The Avian Flu threat does not diminish and like other sectors of the economy tourism needs to strengthen its defences," UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General Geoffrey Lipman said.
"Every time we hold an awareness-building exercise of this nature we increase preparedness and strengthen our coordination mechanisms."
This is envisaged to provide a solid base for intensified national simulations in 2008.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 BuaNews. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
