NEW YORK -- The spread of avian flu to Africa and Europe, although expected, is unwelcome news. In the last few weeks the disease has reached several states in northern Nigeria and Niger. Together with other countries in West Africa, they are on the bird migratory route from Central Asia and the Middle East, where the virus has already surfaced.
The possibility that the virus will spread into other African countries demands that early detection and rapid-response mechanisms be put in place to contain what may become a devastating human pandemic.
Experience has shown that close contact with diseased or dead poultry is the primary means of human exposure to the virus. This makes the situation all the more serious for many African countries, since most village households maintain free-ranging flocks of poultry as a source of income and food.