25/02/2004

UN calls for stronger action as bird flu outbreaks continue

As officials from nearly two dozen Asia-Pacific countries prepared to gather in Bangkok for an emergency meeting on bird flu, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that outbreaks of the disease were still occurring and control campaigns needed to be stepped up.

The agency estimates that about 100 million birds have already died or been culled to battle the virus, which has also led to 32 confirmed human cases, 22 of them fatal.

Surveillance and control strategies should be continued, including eliminating all birds in infected production units and strengthening bio-security measures, the FAO said.

Countries affected by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus of bird flu are Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam. The FAO has sent disease experts to several of these nations to assess the situation and assist them in the battle against the disease.

The Bangkok meeting, from 26 to 28 February, will bring together officials from the 23 Asia-Pacific countries, international experts, donor and development organizations to discuss control strategies and rehabilitation measures.

(gmcg)

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