Posted: 24 February 2009 2203 hrs
HANOI : UN agencies called on Tuesday for Vietnam to be vigilant in fighting bird flu after three new human cases were discovered this year, including one woman who died.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said Vietnam, which has seen more bird flu deaths than any country except Indonesia, had to monitor the situation closely.
"While avian influenza poses a threat to humans and poultry throughout the year, experience in Vietnam has shown that the threat is highest at this time of year," Jean Marc Olive, a Vietnam-based WHO official, said in a joint statement.
"There is a real possibility that the virus will mutate and become easily transmissible between humans. If this occurs we could see the start of a new influenza pandemic."
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"The avian influenza virus is also not currently able to spread easily between humans, but influenza viruses are known for their ability to change quickly and can become more adapted to humans with dire consequences," the statement said.
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- AFP/vm
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