News & features archive, 2008

FAO helping take bird flu lessons to Cambodian villages

18 June 2008, Phnom Penh -It is important for Cambodia to remain vigilant for possible re-occurrence of avian influenza, because the country shares borders with Viet Nam and Thailand where outbreaks of the pathogenic virus continued to occur, say the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

New scientific findings published

26 March 2008, Rome - Ducks, people and rice paddies - rather than chickens - are the major factors behind outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Thailand and Viet Nam, and are probably behind outbreak persistence in other countries of the region such as Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Joint fight against transboundary diseases

25 March 2008 - French veterinary experts will help FAO fight transboundary and other animal diseases under a partnership agreement signed here today.

High load of circulating virus could lead to mutation and a human influenza pandemic

18 March 2008 - The prevalence of avian influenza in Indonesia remains serious despite containment efforts undertaken by national authorities and the international community, FAO warned today. Indonesia is the country worst hit by avian influenza.

Virus under control in West Bengal - intensive surveillance required

27 February 2008 - India is to be commended for its successful efforts to control the recent worst-ever outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state of West Bengal, FAO said today. The agency warned, however, that intensive surveillance should continue in high-risk areas as the possibility of new outbreaks remains high.

Virus remains a global threat - disease control strongly improved

24 January 2008 - Recent avian influenza outbreaks in 15 countries demonstrate that the H5N1 virus remains a global threat and requires close monitoring and strong control efforts, FAO said today.

14 January 2008 - Dr Ilaria Capua, veterinary expert at the OIE Reference Laboratory for avian influenza, based in Padova, Italy, has won the " Scientific American 50" award, a prize awarded annually by this prestigious scientific magazine to researchers and firms around the world that have made a significant contribution to advances in the field of science, technology or economics.