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Travel / Health Advisory
Avian Influenza technical Task Force, FAO – Rome & Bangkok 23/03/2004 The information summarized below is gathered from official and non official sources, which are quoted in the text. AIDE news is prepared by the FAO Technical Task force on Avian Influenza.
New Topic: Assistance from other countries Many donors have decided to commit emergency funds to help governments to control HPAI outbreaks in their respective countries. This assistance can be financial, in kind or through technical assistance. It appeared to several donors that it could be useful to gather information on the support provided. FAO has decided to collect this information through its representations in Asian countries and to publish it in AIDE news. The data presented in this issue (Annex 2) are most probably incomplete. However, we hope they give a first rough magnitude of donors’ assistance. Furthermore, we wish to thank all donors and governments for their anticipated cooperation in providing additional and complementary information. Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The disease, which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, occurs worldwide. All birds are thought to be susceptible to infection with avian influenza, though some species are more resistant to infection than others. Infection causes a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness to a highly contagious and rapidly fatal disease resulting in severe epidemics. The latter is known as “highly pathogenic avian influenza”. This form is characterized by sudden onset, severe illness, and rapid death, with a mortality that can approach 100%. According to different media reports, HPAI - H5N1 has been reported in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and China. Also Under investigation / rumours and suspicions / other information: Source: WHO , OIE and FAO sites, collected by Ayshanie Labe |
