What risks do Virginians face due to the Avian flu?
The current risk to Virginians from the H5N1 Avian Flu outbreak in the Middle East, Europe and Asia is low. The strain of H5N1 virus found in Europe and Asia has not been found in the United States. There have been no human cases of H5N1 flu in the United States. It is possible that travelers returning from affected countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia could be infected, though the risk of this type of transmission to the United States is relatively small because the rate of illness in affected countries is still very low. Since February 2004, medical and public health personnel have been watching closely to find any such cases. For the latest World Health Organization count of confirmed human cases of H5N1 Avian flu, click here. What risks do Virginians face if there is a pandemic of flu? If a new and severe strain of flu were to begin spreading across the globe, Virginia would not be spared from its impact. The severity of the next pandemic cannot be predicted, but modeling
