I know that it is strange question because naturally due to the position of Egypt in the world ,the birds will pass by in their annual migration; Conspiracy theories may rest in this issue because all the world suffer from it in a way or another.
But it won’t rest for MP Ali Laben”MBs” in the parliament who asked 
Laben accused the lab to experiment the virus on the Egyptians in the Abbassia fever hospital ,of course the lab is not in the hospital but rather adjacent to it . I understand that Mr. Laben concerns about the country but this is too much ,it is not logic at all ,this is pure conspiracy theory I am afraid.
We are talking about science and logic here.He is forgetting that in all the infection cases in Egypt birds transfer the virus to the humans , all the H5N1 victims in Egypt were mostly from rural villages.The WHO documents every single condition and currently the lab and the WHO publishes directly online all the info regarding the progress of the virus.
The MP does not understand how dangerous the virus is , already I wonder if he believes the United States had spread the virus in Asia !!?? Ok what if this lab was not American but were Russian from the old Soviet Egyptian relations time !!?? Or were following the EU !!?? Or even the WHO ??
If I were in the MP place , I would ask about how our poultry industry was doomed despite we had the opportunity to save this industry and our position as one of the main exporters of poultry in the region !! Why we have not revived this industry and we opened the doors for imports !! This is what the the MP should ask ,relevant questions not spread conspiracy theories.
Odd how both Indonesia (Supari) and now Egypt are trying to say H5N1/Pandemic flu is/will be the USA's fault, when this "unprecedented" - almost unnatural- bird & Mammal (rodents, cats, dogs, pigs, to name a few which can get H5N1), fatal-untreated in time by an effective antiviral, virus originates from China!
ReplyDeleteOdd how China got control of the WHO in time to not impact travel before their Olympics, too.
If H5N1 might be used as weapon, I'd be more worried about the place that it originated from, and which has skillfully been downplaying risk and delaying preparedness. What if the PRC needs a global empire of resources to prevent revolution? If all other nations are fighting amongst themselves or each other,(or, wiped out by a killer flu) who would be able to stop China?
Ask the MP, What is the plan for Egyptians to cope and be self-sufficient during a year of global disease, deaths, and trade disruptions?
(crfullmoon here) Come by to
PFI Pandemic Flu Information Forum,
where more "netizen journalism" has been going on.
Zeinobia, i do agree with you 100%. He should ask the government the right question not this silly questions! He should ask the government why serious action was not taken to overcome the problem and at the same time to save the poultry industry in Egypt! felt sorry for those who lost their lives due to this virus!
ReplyDeleteI've watched the bird flu discussion from the earliest time as I live in a rural area and have both poultry and parrots. I was concerned for my birds and intrigued by the talk and the transmission of the disease. If bird flu were to be transmitted by migrating birds, then it should have hit Egypt in the fall when the migrations from Europe and Asia occur. Instead it hit in the late winter/early spring, much to my surprise. Obviously not a migratory issue. However, to have a hissy fit over NAMRU is just silly and short-sighted. NAMRU has been studying diseases in Egypt since the early 40's and while I must admit the greatest benefits for Egypt may have not been derived from NAMRU's research, I seriously doubt that they are the boogeyman the representative may want to make them out to be.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that, as usual, the real boogeyman can probably be found in cost-cutting businessmen who imported baby chicks for the lowest prices for the poultry industry. Baby chicks are commonly shipped in the first 48 hours of their lives, a period during which they don't need food or water, and also a period during which they haven't really been checked for disease. They've only just hatched and even if sick won't show the symptoms until they arrive. Bingo...free shipping of viruses. And where would one find the cheapest baby chicks? The far east and China, especially with their poultry industry being threatened. No need for a conspiracy...greed will do the job.
@anonymous, the dear MP unfortunately forgot that Egypt will be technically in quarantine if the fearful scenario happens
ReplyDeletehe should have done more researches before speaking
@anonymous#2 ,it is strange that he did not ask the government these questions and he is from the MB opposition
@Maryanne, thank you so much for clarifying the migration point , my dear friend the real boogeyman in our case as you said are the businessmen ,the greedy businessmen close to the regime who also did not import baby chicks only but imported frozen chicken from Brazil and other countries causing thousands of poultry sellers either to close their shops or to shift their careers !!