UN calls for increased funding to combat bird flu

The international community needs to spend at least €76.3m to combat bird flu – five times more than the “glaringly insufficient” amount provided last year, UN officials said today.

The call for funding came after international health experts at a bird flu conference said there is still time to avoid what is being called the world’s biggest health threat by stemming the virus at its source, ensuring that people and farm animals in Asia are sealed off from infected carriers.