WHO tries to allay fears over flu pandemic

THE World Health Organisation yesterday moved to dampen fears over predictions quoted by one of its own officials that a pandemic stemming from the bird flu virus ravaging parts of Asia could kill as many as 150 million people.

The UN health agency was fielding inquiries from both the media and the general public after Dr David Nabarro - a senior WHO official named on Thursday as the new UN coordinator for avian and human influenza - cited the number during a news conference at the UN's New York headquarters. WHO's flu spokesperson made a surprise appearance yesterday at the UN regular media briefing in an effort to put Dr Nabarro's comments in context.

While he did not say the 150 million prediction was wrong, or even implausible, he reiterated that WHO considers a maximum death toll of 7.4 million a more reasoned forecast.