Indonesia suffer bird flu epidemic

AN OUTBREAK of bird flu in eastern Indonesia has infected more than 20,000 chickens, highlighting the country’s continuing struggle against the disease.

Authorities in Mataram, the capital of Lombok island, are distributing some 250,000 doses of vaccine to farmers in the worst-hit area to prevent the spread, The Jakarta Post reported.

The World Health Organisation has warned that if the current avian flu virus mutates into a form that spreads easily among people it could lead to the next global flu pandemic, which could kill tens of millions of people worldwide.