The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) cautioned Monday that the H5N1 bird flu strain remains a serious threat to human health, animals, and economies across Asia, Africa, and Europe. While the pace of spread has slowed, the number of countries reporting infections rose to 55, up from 45 in April.
Since 2003, the virus has infected 239 people and killed 140, mostly in Asia, according to World Health Organisation data. More than 220 million birds have either died from the disease or been culled to limit its reach.
The FAO called for stronger veterinary oversight, especially in developing nations where underfunded public services leave disease controls weak. Chief veterinary officer Joseph Domenech said controlling H5N1 in poultry is "the best insurance we have" against a mutation that could spread easily among humans.
The FAO identified the southern Balkans and the Caucasus as high-risk zones, citing their role as stopover points for migratory birds and the limited biosecurity measures in local poultry operations. Ivory Coast and Nigeria are also contending with active outbreaks, while H5N1 continues to circulate across several Asian countries.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in August 2006, in its own words.