Pandemic Diseases/The risk of a global influenza pandemic
A pandemic is defined as an epidemic (a sudden outbreak of disease) which spreads rapidly over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population.
A potential influenza pandemic remains a hot topic in the field of infectious diseases with considerable attention focused on avian influenza, both for its consequences for wild and domestic fowl and its impact on the human population. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published a pandemic preparedness plan and many countries around the world are developing national preparedness plans.
Since 1957 there have been three flu pandemics which all originated from China (including Hong Kong). Avian flu is now prevalent in South-East Asia, and avian flu H5N1 may become a potential human pandemic virus. Birds carrying avian flu have now been found in many regions outside the South-East Asian region, including many European and African countries, and human cases have reached as far West as Azerbaijan, Turkey and Egypt.
IRGC co-organised in August 2006 an expert workshop hosted in Beijing by the Chinese National Center for Disease Control and Chinese National Influenza Center. Participants from a number of countries in Europe, North America and Asia gave presentations on early warning, epidemiology and a number of aspects of preparedness planning and discussed options for improving national and international preparedness and control and response policies.
Programme and presentations from the workshop in Beijing in August 2006