Burma struggling to cope with over 100 bird flu outbreaks

Apr 11 2006

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), says the situation concerning the bird flu virus in Myanmar (Burma) now appears far more serious than first thought.

Following visits by two teams from the FAO, He Changchui, the Rome-based body's Asia-Pacific representative says there are now over 100 reported outbreaks, mainly in two districts, Mandalay and the northern district of Sagaing.

He says Burma lacks scientific equipment and facilities to deal with the outbreaks and would need international assistance.

Mandalay is an historic trading post between India, China and Thailand, and is positioned in the centre of the country and Sagaing in the north.

The FAO says raising public awareness of bird flu in a nation ruled by military dictatorship was always going to be an issue, as is gaining accurate data from one of the most reclusive regimes in the world.

When Myanmar reported its first outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on March 13 and the number of outbreaks increased to five within a week, FAO experts said the authorities were struggling to cope.

David Nabarro, the U.N.'s bird flu coordinator on a five-nation tour through Asia, says Myanmar is experiencing major problems.

Nabarro says the FAO plans to focus on Myanmar to ensure that the authorities and civil society are able to cope.

As well as FAO efforts to boost culling and provide vaccines and protective gear for agricultural workers, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is also sending a team to Yangon at the end of the month to assess human defences against the H5N1 virus.

Myanmar has always been a tricky issue regarding any form of aid due to Yangon's international isolation for its human rights record and detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Asian Development Bank nevertheless says the country is eligible for funds from a $38 million programme to help poor countries in their health defences.

To date there have been no reported human cases in Myanmar of H5N1, but scientists have long feared the virus will mutate into a form that is easily transmitted between people triggering a pandemic.

According to the WHO since 2003 only 192 people are known to have been infected worldwide, and 109 have died.