flu

Bird flu: UN summit urges preparations to block possible human pandemic

18 March 2004
The possibility of a deadly human influenza pandemic arising from the current outbreak of bird flu remains a serious threat which must be forestalled, leading public health officials warned today at the conclusion of a summit organized by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.
Dr. Lee Jong-wook

UN agency convenes experts to prepare for potential highly lethal flu pandemic

12 March 2004
Warning that a highly lethal human flu pandemic could occur at any time despite recent measures taken against a bird flu outbreak in Asia, the United Nations health agency announced today that it will bring together more than 100 health experts in Geneva next week to prepare a global battle plan to fight such a scenario.

Bird flu: UN warns against hasty poultry restocking to prevent new flare-up

11 March 2004
Noting that some Asian countries hit by the recent deadly bird flu epidemic are already planning to declare selected zones virus-free and to restock decimated flocks, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned against any such hasty action to prevent the disease flaring up again.

UN health agency warns of no speedy end to Asian bird flu epidemic

3 March 2004
With more poultry affected over the past two months in the current bird flu epidemic in Asia than the total number in the world’s five previous largest outbreaks combined, the United Nations health agency has warned that it could take years to bring the present outbreaks under control.
Chinese exports forecast to decline by 20% in 2004

Animal diseases could lead to world trade losses of $10 billion in 2004 - UN

2 March 2004
With disease outbreaks such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and bird flu affecting about a third of global meat exports, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today of losses of up to $10 billion in the $33-billion-a-year meat and live animal trade if import bans extend throughout 2004.

UN warns that Asian bird flu outbreaks still occurring, calls for continued control efforts

25 February 2004
As officials from nearly two dozen Asia-Pacific countries prepared to gather in Bangkok for an emergency meeting on bird flu, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today warned that outbreaks of the highly virulent disease are still occurring and stressed the need for continued control campaigns.

Prevention of contact, not killing of wild birds, needed to fight bird flu - UN

18 February 2004
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today that killing wild birds is not an appropriate measure to control the spread of bird flu, which has already ravaged domestic poultry farming in nine Asian countries and led to 29 human cases, 20 of them fatal.

Bird flu still spreading in Asia despite culling of 80 million chickens – UN

13 February 2004
Although some 80 million chickens have so far been culled to fight the Asian bird flu epidemic, the spread of the virus is still not under control in several countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

UN experts urge targeted bird flu vaccination backed by global funding

5 February 2004
United Nations experts fighting the Asian bird flu epidemic today called for possible targeted vaccination of poultry outside infected sites, along with mass cullings inside them and substantial international financial aid, to stop the virus spreading among birds and reduce its potential to infect humans.

UN food agency gives aid to four Asian countries hit by bird flu outbreak

4 February 2004
The United Nations food arm has announced it is giving four Asian countries – Cambodia, Laos, Pakistan and Viet Nam – $1.6 million to help them battle the recent outbreak of avian influenza or “bird flu.”