Maria Cheng
Maria Cheng
keen obviously samples sent
We are obviously keen to have the samples sent abroad.
details keen kinds obviously samples sent tests
We don't have a lot of details as to what kinds of tests were done, but we are obviously keen to have the samples sent abroad.
fatal laboratory samples
The laboratory in the U.K. said that they have detected H5N1 in samples from the two fatal cases.
evidence spread surprising
It would not be surprising if it had spread from Turkey, but at the same time, we have no evidence yet that it has.
announced cases turkish
These are all cases that have already been announced (by Turkish authorities).
fast response
The response has been very fast and very transparent.
alert cases couple elevate global last needs pandemic phase risk
Right now these new cases in Turkey, they don't elevate the global risk assessment, so we're still in the same pandemic alert phase that we've been in for the last couple of years. But it's something that needs to be monitored very closely.
extensive good information moment
At the moment we don't have very good information about how extensive these outbreaks are.
infected mammals means
We know that mammals can be infected by H5N1, but we don't know what this means for humans.
changing health indication people virus workers
I think really, (illness in) people like health-care workers and first responders would be our first indication that something is changing in the virus to make it more transmissible.
apparently both exposed sick
We need more clarification because both apparently had been exposed to sick chickens.
cats exposed fall means people role virus
But we don't know what this means for humans. We don't know if they would play a role in transmitting the disease. We don't know how much virus the cats would excrete, how much people would need to be exposed to before they would fall ill.
across difficult larger matter opportunity rapidly short spread start stop surprised window within worldwide
But this is a very short window of opportunity here. Because influenza spreads so rapidly we wouldn't be surprised to see this spread worldwide within a matter of weeks.Ê.Ê.Ê. Once we start to see this in a larger area, across borders, then it will be very difficult to stop it.
changed gone largely moment reason situation team virus whether
But at the moment we don't know enough about the situation to tell whether or not the virus has changed in some way. And that's largely the reason the team has gone in.