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Avian Flu

Answer

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice does not indicate that Laos is clear of avian flu. We cannot be sure there is no risk of avian flu in Laos. The current travel advice for Laos states:““Since January 2004, there have been over 50 human deaths in Asia confirmed as resulting from bird flu (also known as avian flu and avian influenza). There have been no human deaths in Laos. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported on the possibility of a human flu pandemic following this outbreak””.The current travel advice and avian influenza fact sheet are available on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk. The fact sheet makes clear that Laos is among a number of countries to have suffered an outbreak of avian flu in poultry and gives further advice to those travelling to these countries.Following the noble Lord’s Question and to ensure that this information is given as clearly as possible, the travel advice for Laos was amended on 21 October to include an explicit reference to the 2004 outbreak of avian flu in poultry in Laos.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

1786; 675 c17WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel information Avian influenza Laos

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk