September 28, 2005

Aid arrives for Indonesia's bird flu fight

A five-member team of Japanese experts arrived in Jakarta Tuesday, even as the United Nations stressed that what is needed is strong financial support to fight a bird flu outbreak which has killed six people since July.

Further aid will arrive in the form of a shipment of 20,000 boxes of the anti-viral medication Tamiflu, said a spokesman for the Indonesian health ministry.

Australia said Monday it was increasing the amount of Tamiflu it is sending to Indonesia, from 10,000 to 50,000 courses.

The United States also said that it has allocated US$25 million to supplement funding for Asia's bird flu fight.