Despite significant advances to deal with the deadly H5N1 strain
of avian flu in the past two years, countries must maintain their
vigilance and cooperate in the face of a possible pandemic,
according to a joint U.N. and World Bank report released
Friday.
The new report said "that the capacity and understanding around
communication about bird flu has greatly improved," Senior U.N.
System Influenza Coordinator David Nabarro told reporters at the U.
N. Headquarters.
The report said that although a massive global effort to control
the deadly bird flu strain has led to improved responses to
outbreaks in poultry in many countries during the past year, there
is a continuing risk of a virus mutation which results in severe
and easily transmitted influenza in humans, potentially
precipitating an influenza pandemic.
It said that the pandemic threat has led most governments to
improve services to detect, contain and lessen the impact of
dangerous pathogens. However, many national pandemic plans are not
sufficiently operational and the coordination of pandemic planning
between countries needs greater attention, the report said.
(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2007)
