China confirms bird flu outbreak

A suspected outbreak of H5N1 bird flu among ducks in southern China has been confirmed by the country's agricultural minister.

A total of 9,830 ducks have been reported dead as a result of the virus, following lab tests and five farms in the Panyu district near Hong Kong have been affected.

Since September 14th, the Chinese authorities have slaughtered 32, 630 of the birds, said Hong Kong health secretary York Chow.

Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report stressing the importance of international cooperation in the fight against global health threats.

In A safer future: global public health security in the 21st century WHO warned at the possibility of diseases and viruses spreading at an "unprecedented rate".

"Given today's universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity," said Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO at the time of the report.

"International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility. The new watchwords are diplomacy, cooperation, transparency and preparedness."