Warning Over Epidemic Risk

Ashlee Adams www.gulfnews.com New and old diseases are spreading rapidly now because of the increase in international travel. The World Health Organization wants the nations to improve there surveillance. The first disease that is spreading is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which has killed hundreds. The next disease they are worried about is the H5N1 avian flu. This flu is spreaded on direct contact with one another. If not carefully this flu could cause the next flu pandemic.To try to get these diseases under control they are starting a new system. This system consist of surveillance and reporting the disease. They say that it will at least take two years for this system and it should then be electronic. But in this case some of the diseases will be taken more seriously like tuberculosis, HIV, and poliomyelitis. Also so that they are careful they are trying to make it that the workers have to be screened for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV. So the World Health Organization is hoping that if they follow these things that the rate will drop. Also they believe that the pre -entry screening is the best solution to keep the epidemic from spreading.