Thirteen Egyptians have died from bird flu since it first surfaced in the country's poultry a year ago. Most of those who fell ill were reported to have had contact with sick or dead household birds, primarily in northern Egypt. All three had been suffering from fevers and had been treated with the antiviral Tamiflu drug. Egypt has the highest number of confirmed human bird flu cases outside Asia. Health experts fear the H5N1 virus could mutate into a form that passes easily from human to...

Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a three-year contract to bolster international capacity for avian and pandemic influenza response. Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has to date been detected in 55 countries, resulting in the death or destruction of over 220 million birds, and the deaths of 170 people, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and UN health officials. Government's efforts to limit the impact of avian influenza and to minimize...

mn birds after almost 40 new cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu were confirmed, raising to 96 the total number of infected birds in the Gulf country this year. Meanwhile, Indonesian scientists said yesterday they remained baffled by the random behaviour of the bird flu virus afflicting the country, after a top-level meeting in Jakarta. No human infection has been found so far, the minister told a news conference, adding that 552 people who had been in contact with the birds and...

JAKARTA, Indonesia The World Health Organization might guarantee that poor nations get access to stockpiles of bird flu vaccines in the event of a pandemic, the top WHO flu official said Monday, hoping to end a row triggered by Indonesia's decision to stop sharing virus samples. JAKARTA, Indonesia The World Health Organization might guarantee that poor nations get access to stockpiles of bird flu vaccines in the event of a pandemic, the top WHO flu official said Monday, hoping to end a row...

Monday, April 02, 2007 Corn production 'hinges' on halal industry growth THE Department of Agriculture has sought for the development of the halal industry to sustain corn production in the country, particularly in Mindanao which contributes more than half of the Philippine corn output. Monday, April 02, 2007 Corn production 'hinges' on halal industry growth THE Department of Agriculture has sought for the development of the halal industry to sustain corn production in the country,...