Mekong nations build defences against bird flu
The ministries of health of Laos and other countries in the Mekong Region are taking steps to prevent and control avian influenza, or bird flu, over the next two months, in anticipation of a possible outbreak.
Bird flu is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The infection can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms in poultry, ranging from mild illness, which may pass unnoticed, to a rapidly fatal disease that can cause severe epidemics.
