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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Officials warn of flu pandemic

Associated Press

SINGAPORE – Health officials warned Monday that the world was close to its next pandemic – a powerful and highly contagious mix of avian influenza and flu virus that would likely be centered in Asia.

Authorities also warned that humans, and not animals as initially thought, would probably be the carriers.

“We are getting closer, but when it’s going to happen, I don’t know,” said Francois Xavier-Meslin, World Health Organization coordinator for disease control, prevention and eradication.

“If it happens, which is not yet proven, it’s going to be worse than SARS,” he said at a task force meeting on bird flu led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 32 people in Thailand and Vietnam this year, while SARS — Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – killed 774 and infected nearly 8,000, mostly in Asia, in 2003.

Both outbreaks caused widespread economic losses throughout the region.