Please note there is new information almost daily. For the most current and accurate information, visit www.pandemicflu.gov, and look under the heading "Monitoring Outbreaks". The USGS site is very helpful in tracking current wildlife outbreaks and news stories. The WHO site gives the most current and accurate lab confirmed human case and human death totals.

Current human death rate sits at 56.4% (186 cases, 105 deaths). Azerbaijan is the newest country to report human infection with 7 WHO confirmed cases and 5 deaths. Cambodia reported its first case and death of the year on 3/24/06. The human cases in China also continue to increase. See attached chart for other countries with human cases.

Mammals have tested positive for H5N1--domestic cats in Austria and Germany, wild cats in Asia, a stone marten in Germany, and a dog in Azerbaijan. 3 of the 4 domestic cats survived. This may indicate the virus is mutating and becoming virulent in more species.

News stories report that animals carrying H5N1 without showing any signs of ill health could make it harder to detect and contain avian influenza. The longer the virus remains dormant in a mammal, without it getting sick or dying, the greater the risk of it also mutating into a more dangerous form.

The following diagram shows the possible migration routes expected. Time frame of when H5N1 infected birds make their way to North America is 6-12 months, according to the UN avian flu expert, Dr. David Nabarro.

H5N1 has been confirmed in five new countries in the past week, including Myanmar, Sweden, Afghanistan, Denmark and Israel, creating a total of 41 countries that have reported H5N1 outbreaks since 2004.

WHO Laboratory Confirmed H5N1 Human Cases As of 3/24/06

Total number of cases includes number of deaths.
WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed cases.

Read more What's New with the Bird Flu? articles . . .