Officials Hope Bird Flu Movie Provokes Preparation Not Panic (Fort Wayne News Channel 15) (Ft Wayne, IN)- A network movie about the a strain of avian influenza that can easily pass from person to person is creating a new buzz about bird flu. Indiana says it's ready. [News Source]

Canada ups effort to prepare for bird flu pandemic (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Canada is stepping up efforts to prepare for a potential bird flu pandemic, health officials said on Saturday, as a new outbreak of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus in poultry was discovered in Romania. [News Source]

PhilHealth covers avian flu and flu pandemic (Sun Star) THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has expanded the benefit for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome by including "bird flu" and influenza pandemic in its coverage. [News Source]

Poultry farms prepare to fight. Like other poultry farmers across the country, the Milford family in Georgia is taking extreme precautions to prevent their livelihood from getting infected with the deadly avian flu virus. [News Source]

Extra supply fattens pantries. Fears about avian flu have dramatically cut chicken exports, creating a bonanza for food depositories that serve the nation's poor and hungry. [News Source]

So far, migration not accelerating bird flu. Fears that the deadly strain of bird flu would move through Africa and Europe in flocks of wild birds have so far proved unfounded, but the danger is not entirely over. [News Source]

Flu preparedness would make state a leader. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed $400-million investment in pandemic flu and disaster preparedness would vault California from a laggard to a national leader in one stroke. [News Source]

State reconsiders plan for farm animal identification. A federal proposal to identify every farm animal in the nation has generated a firestorm of criticism in Maine. [News Source]

Would Howdy Doody recognize our planet? Environmental deterioration in all its complexities is the colossal monster in the room. It’s Howdy Doody time in America. [News Source]

State officials outline bird flu plan (Montgomery Advertiser) Alabamians shouldn't worry too much about avian influenza, state officials said, because the state has a comprehensive plan to thwart the disease if it infects any chicken farms. [News Source]