July 14, 2005

WHO warns US islands of bird flu
 

US-territory Northern Marianas Islands have been warned by the WHO that diseases such as the bird flu could spread from South East Asia to the Pacific territory.

This is due to the high volume of tourists coming from the region into the Pacific islands, said WHO's representative in the South Pacific, Dr Ken Chen.

As such, the Islands should be prepared for a possible outbreak despite their distance from South East Asia, Dr Chen said.

Since 2003, the bird flu has killed at least 50 people in Asia. Health experts have warned that the disease is hard to eradicate and may re-emerge periodically for several years.