GENEVA - The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Tuesday it had asked North Korea for information after a news agency reported there had been an outbreak of bird flu at a farm in the capital, Pyongyang.
"We became aware of that report today," WHO spokesman Dick Thomson told reporters.
"Our regional office has requested more information from the Ministry of Health. This report is based on conversations by travelling businessmen so right now it's at the level of rumour and we're in the process of verification."
Yonhap news agency said the birds were from Hadang farm, one of the five largest chicken farms in Pyongyang.
Yonhap said its source was a South Korean who had encountered North Korean officials on a business trip to Beijing.
If confirmed, it would be the first time that deadly bird flu, which has caused serious health risks in Southeast Asia and China, has hit the isolated communist state.
North Korea has said the country was free of the disease.
03/15/2005 10:51 GMT