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ROME (AP) - Countries are making progress in fighting bird flu but concerns remain for some nations — especially Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria — where human contamination is still possible, the United Nations said Wednesday.
Scientists and officials gathering in Rome for a three-day technical meeting on bird flu said that in most cases the virus is rapidly detected and kept under control, as most countries are equipped with improved response systems. However, in nations that combine a high density of population and unsafe poultry management, the situation remains serious.
"There is great improvement of preparedness and response," with countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East rapidly detecting and eliminating the virus, said Joseph Domenech, the chief veterinary officer of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. "What makes the battle against avian influenza so difficult are the many high-risk poultry production and marketing practices that still continue in many countries."
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