New Bird Flu Outbreaks Require Strong Vigilance (Medical News Today) FAO has expressed concern about new flare-ups of avian influenza in China, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, South Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam but stressed that the number of outbreaks in the first weeks of 2007 has been significantly lower than the epidemic waves of last year. The UN agency urged countries to remain vigilant and fully cooperate with international organizations. [click link for ... [News Source]

Japan Investigates Suspected Bird Flu Outbreak in Okayama (Bloomberg.com) Jan. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Japan's farm ministry yesterday said it is investigating a suspected avian influenza outbreak in Okayama prefecture that killed 17 chickens, according to a release on its Web site. [News Source]

Avian flu returns to Asia (Business Standard India) The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reported resurgence of the dreaded avian influenza in at least eight countries in Asia and Africa, and has urged all nations to remain vigilant and fully cooperate with international organisations in keeping this menace under check. [News Source]

Deadly H5N1 virus confirmed in southern Japan bird flu outbreak. Tests confirmed that the deadly H5N1 virus caused an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in southern Japan earlier this week. [News Source]

Japan confirms bird flu outbreak. Officials in Japan have confirmed that a recent outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm was the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus. [News Source]

Most pregnant women drink alcohol, putting babies at risk. More than half of pregnant women may be damaging their unborn child's development by drinking alcohol. [News Source]

Japan Confirms Second Bird Flu Case as H5N1 Strain in Miyazaki (Bloomberg.com) Jan. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Japan's farm ministry today confirmed a second bird flu case this year in Miyazaki prefecture in the southern island of Kyushu was the H5N1 strain. [News Source]