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  Channel NewsAsia 25 Jul 06
Global alert system set up for animal-human diseases: WHO

GENEVA : Three leading agencies have set up the first international alert system to detect animal diseases like bird flu and mad cow disease which can infect humans, the UN's health agency said Tuesday.

The move by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) this week follows an acknowledgement of "weaknesses" in current detection, response and control measures, the WHO said in a statement.

"History shows us that the earlier we can detect a zoonosis, the earlier we can take action to reduce the threats to people," said Susanne Weber-Mosdorf, a WHO assistant director-general.

"Today, the spread of avian flu reinforces the fact that the animal and human health sectors must work closely together, and that early detection and coordination is critical. This new network is an important step forward," she added.

The deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza spread suddenly in birds from Asia to Europe and the Middle East this year, leading to human infections and deaths in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Iraq and Turkey despite initial attempts to contain the disease.

SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is thought to have been caused by an animal virus that jumped the species barrier in Asia and remained undetected for months. The virus killed 774 people and infected more than 8,000 between 2002 and 2004, according to the WHO.

The Global Early Warning and Response System is the first attempt to coordinate the tracking, verification and alert mechanisms of the three agencies, the statement said. The three agencies will share information and carry out joint field missions to assess and control outbreaks in animals and humans. - AFP/ch
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