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FAO estimates Asia-Pacific bird flu losses at $10 million

FAO estimates Asia-Pacific bird flu losses at $10 million The Asia-Pacific region has suffered losses of around $10 million due to the bird flu pandemic, Food and Agriculture Organisations regional representative for Asia Pacific He Changchui said on Friday. He said over 200 million birds have been culled over two-and-a-half years due to the flu. All countries need to put in place vigilant surveillance and a timely action plan to prepare against further outbreaks, Changchui told reporters on the sidelines of regional conference on avian influenza control and pandemic preparedness in Asia. He said all countries in the region need

Asia-Pacific steps up preparedness efforts against bird flu

Asia-Pacific steps up preparedness efforts against bird flu KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - China's financial hub Shanghai on Monday started screening international passengers for bird flu amid global fears that the virus could mutate into a more powerful form. Acknowledging that separation from Asia by thousands of kilometres of sea offers little protection, Australia and New Zealand also took steps to ward off a bird flu disaster. At least 68 people have died from bird flu since it emerged in Asia in 2003 - nearly two-thirds of them in Vietnam, according to the World Health Organization. So far, most human cases

Asia vows to combine efforts to fight bird flu

Asia vows to combine efforts to fight bird flu Asian countries hit by bird flu vowed on Friday to unite to fight the deadly virus and said they recognised the need to better coordinate efforts between health and farm agencies at national level. Ministers and senior officials from 11 Asian countries, including China, Indonesia and Thailand, agreed to share knowledge of avian influenza, including investigation of cases and outbreaks, which have killed 134 people since 2003. In the Delhi Declaration -- agreed after a two-day meeting hosted by the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the Indian government -- nations

Bird flu not expected to curtail Asia travel

Bird flu not expected to curtail Asia travel Despite fresh bird flu outbreaks among poultry and new human deaths, tourists are traveling en masse across Asia during the region's peak travel season ahead of Chinese New Year. "According to the figures from hotels, they've never known such a high occupancy rate," said Olivier Colomes, general director of Exotissimo Travel Group in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the country hardest-hit by avian influenza. "We were really scared about this because everybody was talking about the bird flu as if it would happen tomorrow, but so far nothing has happened." The Christmas, New Year

EU welcomes 1st East Asia Summit

EU welcomes 1st East Asia Summit KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) welcomes the inaugural East Asia Summit (EAS) as an inclusive, open forum and wishes to work closely with it, an EU official said Tuesday. Such a forum of regional cooperation and coordination can help bring a multipolar world and contribute to regional development, peace and security, EU ambassador to Malaysia Thierry Rommel said. "For the EU, this evolution (EAS) is something we are very interested to follow and hopefully to engage with," Rommel said in an