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'Speak out about bird flu'
18/11/2005 08:26 - (SA)
Busan - Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Friday has warned Asian nations not to cover up any outbreaks of bird flu, saying early and honest reporting will be key to preventing the pandemic.
In a veiled reference to Asian states such as China and Vietnam, Howard said at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum that several countries had hidden the extent of bird flu outbreaks in 2003.
As well as taking steps to prepare for a possible pandemic, Howard said the "importance of putting aside any sense of national pride or self-consciousness about any outbreak in individual countries".
He said: "The last thing that any nation can afford to do, not only in its own interests, but in the interests of fellow members of the world community, is to in any way hide or cover up the onset of the signs of an outbreak of something that could turn into a pandemic."
Bird flu claims 60
Howard said that if a country felt it was unable to cope with an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, it should feel free to seek help.
He said: "There was some evidence a few years ago of some countries not being willing to acknowledge the scale of the problem."
More than 60 people had died of the H5N1 strain in Southeast Asia since 2003, including new deaths this week in both Indonesia and China.
Fears that the virus could mutate into a form easily passed between humans that could kill millions of people had caused a global health scare.
The United Nations' health and agriculture organisations last year criticised several Asian nations including China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam for being slow to report outbreaks of bird flu.
Significant initiative
Howard said controlling the spread of the H5N1 virus would be high on the agenda when the 21 APEC leaders including US President George W Bush begin a two-day summit later on Friday.
Howard said: "Australia will be announcing a very significant initiative herself in order to add to the responses of a number of countries in the region."
He said the "major Australian initiative" would be announced on Saturday and was aimed at helping countries in the Asian region prepare for a possible pandemic.
He said: "This is a prime agenda item and it is an issue that requires from leaders a collaborative, transparent and open response."
- AFP
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