AS BIRD flu, or Avian Influenza, raged through Asia, countries such as Vietnam, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Japan, Korea and Taiwan are stepping up on massive culling of their poultry as they are seized by a realisation that the animal virus could eventually threaten human lives.

Their fears are not unfounded. According to a warning issued by the World Health Organisation’s spokesman for Vietnam, Bob Dietz, it is possible that an avian influenza virus could mutate to the extent of person-to-person transmission. This would then spark a global outbreak of an influenza pandemic which would be more severe than SARS. Past influenza pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption and economic loss.

Faced with the vicious spread of Bird Flu, w ...