Hong Kong (AsiaNews) The toll of bird flu deaths has risen to 15. Today's victims were a 17 year-old Vietnamese girl and a six year-old Thai boy. Until now, of the 10 countries infected with the H5N1 virus, only Thailand and Vietnam have had occurrences of human death. Thailand risks becoming the worst hit country, with 5 deaths due to the virus, 2 unconfirmed and 17 cases of infection.
Meanwhile, 30 experts have met in Rome at FAO headquarters to try and find new solutions to put a stop to the virus and to evaluate the possibility of a vaccine.
The experts were divided into two study panels one on vaccinations and the other on monitoring the virus. A teleconference hookup was expected today at other offices throughout Asia. According to the FAO, culling birds in the poorest countries is proceeding too slowly, due to resistance of farmers who fear not being compensated at all, and thus making it difficult to contain the virus.
China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao, advised local authorities to compensate properly those who have had their chickens culled. The vice prime minister, Hui Liangyu, said that "the distribution of money will be open, and equitable and transparent.
Notwithstanding, many have complained that compensation has been insufficient. Villagers from Putuan (Hubei province) were outraged with local authorities, after they learned they received only 8 yuan for each chicken culled, instead of the 15 yuan they had agreed to.
Among other precautionary measures, Beijing has ordered the isolation of all pet birds kept in cages. Carrier pigeon competitions have also been banned.
Meanwhile differences between Beijing and the World Health Organization seem to be ironing out. Yesterday a meeting occurred between WHO representatives and Chinese government officials.
China has finally given the WHO details on the type of vaccines it has used and has accepted an imminent visit by WHO inspectors in order to verify the status of the virus in the country, while there occur suspicious deaths of black swans at the Shenzhen zoo, the Xinhua news agency reports. (MR)
