FAO urges cash-strapped governments to keep up guard against bird flu

ROME (Reuters) – Governments must not allow financial constraints caused by the current global economic crisis to stop them keeping their guard up against avian flu, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Tuesday. The agency, one of three international bodies that lead the global response to bird flu, warned of a repeat of the 2006 outbreaks, when the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus killed 79 people around the world and sparked fears of a pandemic. Investment was vital to prevent a repeat of such a crisis, the FAO said. …