Key scientific and political milestones from around the world, charting the first appearance of H5N1 avian flu in Hong Kong in 1997 to its global spread today, and links to archives.
Human cases of avian flu
- 1997
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- The virus infects 18 patients after close contact with poultry, with six deaths. Fortunately the virus does not spread from person to person. Within three days, Hong Kong's entire chicken population is slaughtered to prevent further outbreak. (see 'A pandemic warning?').
- 2003
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- Alarm bells are again raised when the avian virus H5N1 infects two people in Hong Kong, one fatal. (see '...as bird flu sparks alarm in Hong Kong').
- Outbreaks of chicken flu occur in The Netherlands due to the H7N7 avian flu virus. By April the virus has spread to nearly 800 poultry farms and resulted in the culling of almost 11 million chickens. The virus infects 83 people causing conjunctivitis and flu-like symptoms, and kills one man. The drug Tamiflu helps protect people against further spread of the virus. (see 'Chicken flu races through Dutch poultry farms').
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- 2004
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- H5N1 is reported to have killed an additional three people in Vietnam. (see 'Bird flu kills three people in Vietnam').
- In Vietnam and Thailand, the virus has infected at least 37 people, with 26 deaths.
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- 2005
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- Since the beginning of 2004 Vietnam and Thailand have seen the deaths of at least 34 people. (see 'Vietnam's war on flu').
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- First report of a human bird flu case in Cambodia.
- A report of probable person to person transmission of bird flu in Vietnam is published.
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- Rumours of human deaths in China from H5N1 remain unconfirmed.
- WHO reports 97 cases and 53 deaths from bird flu in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand since January 2004. (see 'Bird flu 2005: the ongoing story').
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- The Philippines, so far the only Asian country unaffected by bird flu, report their first case in a town north of the capital, Manila, but do not confirm whether it is the H5N1 strain.
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- Indonesia has so far had seven confirmed and two probable human cases of H5N1 avian flu, with an additional 80 or so cases suspected. (see 'Indonesia struggles to control bird flu outbreak').
- Thailand confirms its first case of human infection with H5N1, which proves fatal, since 08 October 2004.
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- China confirms three human cases of bird flu and investigates the possibility of human-to-human transmission.
- A newly confirmed fatal case in Viet Nam coincides with a recurrence of outbreaks in poultry. Viet Nam has reported 66 cases (22 fatal) since December 2004.
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- Newly confirmed human cases of H5N1 avian flu bring the total number in Indonesia to 16. Of these cases, 11 were fatal.
- 2006
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- The first human cases of H5N1 avian flu occur in Egypt and Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan, six cases appear to be due to contact with wild birds. The virus appears to be a distinct lineage to that currently circulating in east Asia. (see 'From the front lines').
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- China has now reported 16 human cases of H5N1 infection, 11 of them fatal. (see 'From the front lines').
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- Meanwhile, a cluster of cases occur in Indonesia, killing seven of eight infected people, and is the first in which the World Health Organization (WHO) admits that human-to-human transmission is the most likely cause of spread. (see 'Family tragedy spotlights flu mutations').
- 2007
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- According to the WHO, the total number of H5N1 cases since the initial south east Asia outbreaks in 2003 has reached 281, with 169 deaths. Indonesia, currently the only country to report cases in 2007, has had a total of 81 confirmed human cases, 63 of which were fatal. Vietnam, which saw the highest country incidence of 93 cases (42 deaths) up to 2005, has reported no new human cases for over a year.
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- Egypt continues to have the highest number of infections and fatalities from avian flu outside Asia, with 34 cases, and 14 deaths.
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