France News

Asian bird flu - France wants to defend itself

Wednesday, 31 August 2005

Asian bird flu - France wants to defend itself

Dominique de Villepin - the French Prime Minister birdflu

introduced new steps in order to combat the strong threat of bird flu such as new health checks at major airports. What is more, some anti - viral medicines, vaccines and other things used for protection will be available in order to ensure the safety of the French nation. It is also planned to assemble some 200 million protective breathing masks by 2006.

Bird flu has killed 61 people in Asia since 2003. It has also been a threat in other parts of the world, mainly in Russia, Kazakhstan and further west. Instances of sick seagulls have also been noted in Finland. Experts claim that bird flu can become a global problem if it develops as rapidly among people as in birds.

On Monday French president Jacques Chirac appealed for international cooperation in order to counter the situation of a "crisis of great magnitude".

Comment on this article