Bird flu update: 12 June 2006

Below is a roundup of the key developments on the spread of the bird flu virus (H5N1) and the threat it poses to human health. Each title is a link to the full article.

Click here to see the latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures of confirmed human cases.

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Monday 12 June 2006
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UN agency to lead bird flu media project in Myanmar
UNICEF will lead a US$1.8 million joint media project with the Myanmar government and non-governmental media on prevention against bird flu, according to a local newspaper (Source: Xhinhua).

Dutch company develops mass bird flu vaccine
The Dutch chemical group Akzo Nobel has developed a flu vaccine prototype that can be applied to large bird populations by spraying (Source: Reuters).

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Saturday 10 June 2006
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Indonesian government told to be transparent on bird flu
Indonesian health experts said their government needs to be more transparent on the latest H5N1 developments after an official said limited person-to-person transmission of the virus has likely occurred in seven clusters of people (Source: Jakarta Post).

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Friday 9 June 2006
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North Sumatra bird flu patient recovering
A man being treated for bird flu may soon be released after doctors said he had fully recovered from the illness; seven of his relatives died of the disease (Source: The Jakarta Post).

Africa to host international meeting on bird flu preparations
Bird flu controls and a plan to prepare for a possible pandemic will be reviewed at a meeting of international agencies and governments in Africa later this year, a World Bank official said (Source: Bloomberg).

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Thursday 8 June 2006
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Fresh bird flu outbreak in China
A new outbreak of bird flu has been discovered in poultry in the Chinese region of Xinjiang according to the country’s agriculture ministry (Source: BBC Online).

WHO lab indicates Indonesian girl did not die of bird flu
A lab approved by the WHO said a an Indonesian girl from the outskirts of Jakarta who tested positive locally for bird flu did not have the virus; the WHO will carry out new tests to reconfirm its findings (Source: Associated Press).

Bird flu scare devastates poultry industry in Ghana
Ghana’s association of poultry farmers has expressed worry at people’s reaction to bird flu in neighbouring countries; the disease has led to a cut in demand for poultry products (Source: Ghanaian Chronicle).

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Wednesday 7 June 2006
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Africa needs US$760 million to fight bird flu
Africa needs US$760 million to fight bird flu over the next three years — about three times as much as donors pencilled into their pledge made in January — the African Union and aid organisations said (Source: Reuters).

World Bank, EU agree on new $70 million bird flu fund
The World Bank and European Commission have established a new US$70 million trust fund to help countries prepare for a possible outbreak of bird flu (Source: Reuters).

Bird flu has subsided in India – top official
Bird flu has subsided in India with no new cases reported since March, the top official in charge of prevention efforts has said (Source: Reuters).

Zambia: more resources needed to counter avian flu
Zambia has repeatedly said it lacks the technical expertise, personnel and funds to tackle a possible outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, but recent donations will help to remedy this situation (Source: IRIN).

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Tuesday 6 June 2006
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Asia-Pacific bird flu response test
Twenty one countries in the Asia-Pacific region will test their response to an outbreak of pandemic bird flu today (Source: Bangkok pPost).

Four Indonesian nurses test negative for avian influenza – WHO
Test results show that two nurses from West Java who cared for two siblings infected with H5N1 and two nurses from North Sumatra involved in the care of an extended family cluster did not catch the virus (Source: WHO).

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Monday 5 June 2006
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Scientist urges review of Chinese bird flu measures
China needs to improve its efforts to control bird flu, a leading Chinese expert on the disease said, adding to voices anxious about the country’s preparedness (Source: Reuters).

Afghan government needs US$1 million for bird flu drive
The Afghan government has said it will require US$1 million to prevent the spread of the deadly disease of bird flu in the country (Source: Pak Tribune).