RUSSIA LOSES HALF OF ALL POULTRY TO AVIAN INFLUENZA



Itar Tass news agency is reporting : "Russia has lost nearly half of farm poultry because of bird flu, Chief Public Health Official and head of the Federal Consumer Rights and Human Well Being Service Gennady Onishchenko said at a Friday meeting of the Central Federal District Council

“Bird flu has affected nine constituents of the Russian Federation. Wild birds will fly to Siberia in late April, and a pan-epidemic may spread onto the Urals."


HUMAN AND ANIMAL BIRD FLU INFECTIONS CONTINUE TO SPREAD IN INDONESIA

The Jakarta Post is reporting : "A growing number of bird flu cases in Indonesia, both in birds and humans, suggests there is a breakdown somewhere in the country's crackdown on the disease, an expert at the World Organization for Animal Health said.

Indonesia has seen 31 humans infected with lethal bird flu, with 23 fatalities, the second-highest of any country, the World Health Organization says.

EGYPT : FOURTH PERSON DIES OF BIRD FLU

African News Dimension is reporting that an eighteen year old woman was admitted to a Cairo hospital on Monday suffering symptons of bird flu infection, and died during the week. She is the fourth victim of bird flu in Egypt.

The virus was first found in poultry in February. The first human infection occured in March.
Twelve people are now reported to have the infection.