Fighting to prevent a flu pandemic

MARGARET CHAN, responsible for helping defend the world against an influenza pandemic that could kill millions, says an outbreak of bird flu among humans may be imminent, but there is still time to act.

“We have a window of opportunity to prevent a pandemic or at least delay the spread of a pandemic,” Ms Chan, chief of pandemic influenza preparedness at the World Health Organisation (WHO), said.

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, which returned late last year, has killed 63 in Asia, mainly in Vietnam and Thailand. It has also struck flocks in six Russian regions and Kazakhstan.