*EPF204 01/27/2004
Text: International Agencies Call for Coordinated Action Against Bird Flu
(Swift response needed to prevent pandemic in humans, officials say) (900)

International organizations are appealing to donor nations to help Asian nations attempting to control an epidemic of avian influenza that is proving to be a "disaster for agricultural production" and a threat to human health. A joint statement issued January 27 by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) outlines the dangers and makes the appeal for a coordinated international response.

Millions of birds are being killed in Asia to stop the spread of the virus. The disease has appeared in humans in Viet Nam and Thailand, causing a total of eight deaths in the two countries. Health officials say all the human cases appear to have resulted in patients who had direct contact with infected birds or their feces. No evidence so far indicates that the pathogen can be passed from human to human, but that is the greatest fear for health officials. Disease specialists envision a scenario where the bird flu virus could mutate into a new and deadly form that would be contagious amongst humans.

Citing the swift and effective international collaborative effort in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) last year, WHO Director General Dr. Lee Jong-wook said, "Now, we confront another threat to human health and we must reaffirm existing collaboration and form new ones."

Lee said the farmers culling their flocks will suffer serious economic losses, and will require support. International support will also be important in developing vaccines that are effective against mutating forms of the pathogen.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has responded to the international health threat by sending a team of experts to assist Asian health officials in tracking the disease.

The WHO also issued another press release January 27 regarding the course of the outbreak in Vietnam and Thailand. Vietnam identified seven human cases with six fatalities. In Thailand, the disease toll is three cases with two fatalities.

Further information is available on at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

Further information about the outbreak is available at http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/

Basic information about avian influenza is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/avianflu.htm

Following is the text of the joint press release:

(begin text)

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
27 January 2004

Unprecedented spread of avian influenza requires broad collaboration
FAO/OIE/WHO call for international assistance

GENEVA/ROME/PARIS -- The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in several areas in Asia is a threat to human health and a disaster for agricultural production, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a joint statement today.

Although it has not happened yet, the so-called "bird flu" presents a risk of evolving into an efficient and dangerous human pathogen, the three agencies warned.

The possible widespread occurrence of avian flu in animals in developing countries represents a significant control challenge. FAO, OIE and WHO appealed to donors to address the global threat from avian flu and to provide funds and technical assistance to countries to help eliminate this threat.

"With SARS, we learned that only by working together can we control emerging global public health threats," said Dr. LEE Jong-wook, WHO Director-General "Now, we confront another threat to human health and we must reaffirm existing collaboration and form new ones. At the international level, WHO, FAO and OIE stand together in close working relationship to provide the necessary guidance to Member States."

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a threat to public health because, if it circulates long enough in humans and farm animals, there is an increased risk that it may evolve into a pandemic influenza strain which could cause disease worldwide. In addition, avian influenza is an economic disaster for the poultry industry as well as small poultry farmers.

The focus of FAO, OIE and WHO activities is to avert a human and animal pandemic.

"We have a brief window of opportunity before us to eliminate that threat," said Dr. Jacques Diouf, FAO Director-General.

"Farmers in affected areas urgently need to kill infected and exposed animals and require support to compensate for such losses. This will represent a huge cost, especially to struggling economies and small farmers. The international community has a stake in the success of these efforts and poorer nations will need help," Dr. Diouf said. FAO and OIE also called for a tight and effective control of animal movement in affected areas. Farm workers need to be protected during the culling operations by wearing protective clothing. In addition, vaccines need to be supplied. Farmers, especially backyard farmers, need to be supported for losses that will surely be significant.

The threat from avian influenza is well understood. Unlike SARS, diagnostic tests already exist, as do effective, although costly, antivirals for humans. While it is challenging, research is already well underway on the development of a human vaccine against this strain.

"This is a serious global threat to human health," said Dr. Lee Jong-wook. "But we have faced several emerging infectious diseases in the past. This time, we face something we can possibly control before it reaches global proportions if we work cooperatively and share needed resources. We must begin this hard, costly work now."

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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