Despite WHO warning, India sees no cause for alarm on bird flu

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2005

NEW DELHI (AFP) — The Indian government is taking precautions to check the spread of bird flu and there "should be no cause for alarm," the health ministry said after a UN warning of a pandemic.

The ministry said in a statement that "despite the WHO warning, which does not speak of immediate danger of infection, there should be no cause for alarm. So far there has been no human-to-human transmission of the virus."

The government said that it was on the alert for unusual numbers of bird deaths, and was in touch with state governments on the issue, but remained vague on specific precautions.

"Wherever there are mass death of birds or poultry, the government will send a team to check what caused it, find out if it has been caused by this virus," said a ministry...