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Bird flu pandemic "almost inevitable"

Date: Mon, 04 Jul 2005

At a United Nations meeting in Malaysia scientists are warning that the world is facing the prospect of a bird flu pandemic with the potential to kill millions.

World Health Organization (WHO) scientists are calling on rich nations to put funding into resources to fight the possible pandemic before it's too late.

The organisation wants the a strategy to be put in place to help prevent the current strain of bird flu mutating into a virus that could spread between humans – a potentially catastrophic development.

In a stark and dramatic warning WHO regional spokesman Peter Cordingley said: "We don't know what the fatality will be. We can expect it to be very high.

"There will be enormous economic dislocation. Stock markets will close, international travel and trade will be limited.

"We can't put a figure on this, but Sars in fact will be dwarfed by a flu pandemic if one happens."

The meeting heard that south east Asian countries are currently doing their best to contain and limit the virus to birds but that without funding from rich western countries a pandemic is inevitable.




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