BIRD FLU PANIC HITS PARTS OF TURKEY

BBC:

Residents of the eastern Turkish town hit by a fatal outbreak of bird flu in humans have besieged a local hospital seeking treatment for symptoms. Three children from Dogubeyazit have died this week, at least two of them from the virulent H5N1 strain. [These are the first deaths outside of Asia - reliapundit]

Despite no evidence that the disease has begun to spread between humans, locals have sought treatment at a poorly-equipped hospital in the town. ...

The World Health Organisation has attempted to play down fears of the disease, as Turkish officials sought to defend themselves from accusations they were slow to act. A WHO spokeswoman in Geneva said the bird flu outbreak had been contained in one Turkish province and there was "no need for excessive panic".

Twenty people remain in hospital in Van, a larger city in eastern Turkey, under treatment for suspected bird flu.

Is this the start of the pandemic? Are the locals hysterical and wrong, or do they know/intuit something? Time will tell. A SHORT TIME. Stay tuned. FOR SURE: We will know if H5N1 has become H2H in one or two months. More from WHO.