The Change Mariner

Deadly bird flu strikes Indonesia

BBC NEWS:

The World Health Organization (WHO), which is taking part in the Rome meeting, has called for strong collaborative efforts to control the virus, which has hit poultry flocks in 10 Asian countries.

"Things are still in the box. It has not come out. If we sit on the lid it will stay there and we still have that window of opportunity open," said Klaus Stoehr, head of the WHO's global influenza programme.

Also taking part in the meeting, which is closed to the media, are the World Animal Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and veterinary experts from affected countries.

The WHO has said it cannot rule out one case of human to human transmission in Vietnam, but there was no firm evidence of it.

Health experts are worried that if the virus mixes with a regular human influenza strain, it might create a mutant form that was able to pass between humans, triggering a human flu pandemic.

Posted by Bob King at February 2, 2004 09:14 PM | TrackBack
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