Iraq fights new war against bird flu

American and UN health experts have arrived in Iraq to help this war-ravaged country fight a new battle – bird flu. Officials said yesterday that at least eight people are in hospital suffering symptoms akin to the deadly H5N1 strain.

Under US military guard, American and World Health Organisation epidemiologists, veterinary experts and clinicians are expected to work together across the northern region of Kurdistan to find out how the disease entered Iraq and how to contain it.