June 13, 2005

WHO calls for stronger efforts in bird flu battle
 

The World Health Organisation has called for stronger efforts against the threat of a fast-evolving, more resistant bird flu virus in China.

The two recent outbreaks in China have killed large numbers of bird species that had previously been relatively resistant to the disease, according to the WHO.

While China has reported no human deaths from bird flu compared with Vietnam, Vietnamese fatality rates have been falling to about 10-20 percent this year, compared with 60-70 percent last year.

WHO urges governments to share outbreak information, research and samples with international agencies to strengthen efforts against bird flu. China has reportedly been criticised for not being proactive in releasing outbreak information and WHO stressed the importance for change.

WHO is awaiting China's approval for a trip with Chinese health officials to Qinghai province, where bird flu killed more than 1,000 wild birds, including geese and gulls, in late May.