Bird flu pandemic fears: 'No time to waste'

The UN and the World Bank told international donors today that they must prepare for a potential flu pandemic that could kill millions worldwide and result in economic costs far greater than the $1.5bn (€1.2bn) now needed.

“The decisions you make today will shape the ways we work together. There’s no time to waste. Let’s ensure that we are ready,” UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a taped address on the second day of a funding conference in Beijing.