US donates $44.4m to tackle bird flu

The US has pledged an additional $44.4m (£28.8m) to tackle bird flu internationally.

It would bring the monetary support for tackling avian influenza by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to $112.8 million.

Lower income countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa were set to benefit from the funding.

FAO chief veterinary officer Joseph Domenech said: "The additional US funds will enable FAO to continue its work in support of countries that are still struggling to get the virus under control."

According to the FAO, most countries are successfully managing avian influenza, however the virus still remains at large in an estimated ten others, like Indonesia, Egypt and Vietnam.

Most of the money for the FAO’s bird flu control activities in an estimated 96 countries comes from the US.

This tranche came from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Bird flu was first reported to have started in south-east Asia to the World Health Organization.

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