BBC Bird flu 'could kill 150m people'

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>BBC DAILY E-MAIL: UK EDITION

>Friday, 30 September, 2005, 8:00 GMT 01:00 -07:00:US/Pacific

>

>

> * Bird flu 'could kill 150m people' *

>A UN health official warns that an influenza

>pandemic linked to bird flu in Asia might kill

>up to 150 million people.

>Full story:

>http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4292426.stm

Bird flu 'could kill 150m people'

By Susannah Price

BBC correspondent at the United Nations

 

A leading United Nations official has warned

there could be a new influenza outbreak at any

time which could kill up to 150 million people.

 

Dr David Nabarro said the influenza pandemic was

likely to be caused by a mutation of the virus

that is currently causing bird flu in Asia.

 

Dr Nabarro has just been appointed to

co-ordinate the UN's efforts to control the bird

flu epidemic in Asia.

 

Bird flu has swept through poultry there since 2003.

 

It has killed huge numbers of birds and lead to more than 60 human deaths.

 

The UN's new co-ordinator for avian and human

influenza said the likelihood that the virus

which has caused bird flu in Asia could mutate

and jump to humans was high.

 

Limiting the damage

 

Dr Nabarro stressed he would be working hard to

control bird flu through contact with farming

communities and markets where birds are sold and

looking at the migration of wild birds.

 

He said the number of deaths from any future

influenza pandemic would depend on where it

started, how quickly it was discovered and the

kind of response they got from governments.

 

" The range of deaths could be anything between 5m and 150m, " said Dr Nabarro.

 

" I believe that the work we're doing over the

next few months will make the difference between,

for example, whether the next pandemic leads us

in the direction of 150 or in the direction of

five.

 

" So our effectiveness will be directly measured

in lives saved and the consequences for the

world. "

 

The appointment of Dr Nabarro, who has been

working for the World Health Organization, is an

indication of how seriously the UN is taking the

threat.

 

In his new role, he is meant to ensure that the

UN has a co-ordinated response to bird flu and

that it helps global efforts to prepare for any

human influenza pandemic.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4292426.stm

 

Published: 2005/09/30 03:58:27 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

 

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