WHO tells Turks 'no reason to panic' over bird flu

Turkey has “no reason to panic” over the outbreak of bird flu, a senior World Health Organisation official said today, urging Turks again to avoid contact with sick or dead poultry suspected in the rapid spread of the deadly H5N1 strain.

“The worst situation is a panic situation. There is no reason to panic,” said Dr Marc Danzon, WHO regional director for Europe, at a joint press conference in Ankara with Turkey’s health minister, Recep Akdag.