World Bank helps Palestinians fight bird flu

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Friday September 22, 2006

Washington- The World Bank is providing 13 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority to fight bird flu in the West Bank and Gaza, the bank said Friday. The grant will help the authority improve readiness and protect Palestinians from "a potentially devastating threat" as the bird migration season approaches, World Bank official Arif Zulfiqar said in a statement.

In April, the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed at eight locations in Gaza.

Outbreaks in neighbouring areas and a large volume of bird migrations make it more likely that the virus will spread to poultry, putting the West Bank and Gaza "at high risk," the World Bank said.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur