U.N. says: Bird flu outbreak is virtually inevitable in Afghanistan

An outbreak of bird flu is virtually unavoidable in Afghanistan, and the local government and donor nations have been slow in acting to prevent the deadly disease from spreading to the country, a U.N. official said Wednesday.

Photo: U.N. says: Bird flu outbreak is virtually inevitable in Afghanistan

Migratory birds that can potentially carry the illness are already arriving in Afghanistan, said Serge Verniau, the representative for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Afghanistan.

"With cases of the deadly disease detected in Iran and India, Afghanistan is practically surrounded," Verniau said. "Today, we can say an outbreak of the disease among birds in Afghanistan is virtually unavoidable."

He added, "The authorities in Afghanistan and donors have been slow to act," reports the AP.

I.L.