BIRD FLU IN ASIA: CONTROL CAMPAIGNS NEED TO CONTINUE, SAYS UN AGENCY

BIRD FLU IN ASIA:  CONTROL CAMPAIGNS NEED TO CONTINUE, SAYS UN AGENCY

ROME, 25 February (FAO) -- Outbreaks of avian influenza are still occurring in some Asian countries, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today, stressing the need for continued control campaigns.

Countries affected by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus are Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam.

“The situation in some countries is still unclear and further epidemiological investigations are required to get the virus under control”, the FAO said.

The FAO estimates that about 100 million birds have died or have been culled to battle the disease (Thailand, 36 million; Viet Nam, 36 million; China, 5 million; Pakistan, 4 million; Indonesia, 15 million).

The FAO has sent several disease experts to Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam to assess the local situation and assist countries in their battle against the disease.

The findings of these missions will be instrumental to understand the origin of the epidemic and the factors that lead to such a wide and massive spread of the virus.

Surveillance and control strategies should be continued, the FAO urged, including elimination of all birds in infected production units and the strengthening of biosecurity measures.

Officials from 23 Asia-Pacific countries, international experts, donor and development organizations will meet in Bangkok, 26 to 28 February 2004, for a regional emergency meeting on bird flu to discuss control strategies and rehabilitation measures.

For more information, contact Erwin Northoff, Information Officer, FAO, e-mail: erwin.northoff@fao.org, tel.: (+39) 06 570 53105; or visit FAO Newsroom: http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/.

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