WHO says China has improved reporting of bird flu

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2006

HONG KONG (AFP) — China has improved its reporting of bird flu cases, but there is still a delay when the virus is found in rural areas, a World Health Organisation official said.

Shigeru Omi, the regional director for WHO's Western Pacific region, said China had learned the lessons of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), over which it was heavily criticised for covering up.

They are improving but there are still problems in rural areas, Shigeru told AFP.

"There are reservations over the reporting of cases because people are afraid of the stigma and discrimination. They are afraid because of the lack of compensation," Shigeru said in Hong Kong during the launch of a WHO book: "SARS: How a global epidemic was stopped."

"I don't think there is any...