Union govt sanctions Rs 4 cr each for 4 bio security grade III avian influenza labs (PharmaBiz) Union government has sanctioned setting up of four new labs in the country to handle avian flu diagnostic outbreaks at an initial investment of Rs four crore each. These labs are coming up before November this year at the existing Regional Referral Laboratories in four regions. [News Source]

Cote d’Ivoire becomes seventh African country with bird flu (The Herald) PARIS. Two outbreaks of bird flu have occurred in Cote d’Ivoire, making it the seventh country in Africa to report the disease, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) announced here on Wednesday. [News Source]

Indonesia Still Not Sharing Virus Samples for Avian Flu Vaccines (U.S. Department of State) Despite agreeing to share viruses with the World Health Organization (WHO) in March, Indonesia -- the nation with the highest rates of infection and death from avian influenza -- still has not done so. Thus, says WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases David Heymann, the country is “putting in danger its own population, because if those viruses are not freely shared with ... [News Source]

France battles first bird flu outbreak (The Herald) PARIS. France battled the first poultry outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in the European Union and Britain predicted it would soon be hit, as world experts gathered in Paris prepared for a long, hard battle against the deadly virus. [News Source]

Bali in fear after first human bird flu death (News Interactive) BALI has recorded its first human death from bird flu, with hundreds of birds being culled yesterday in a bid to contain a possible outbreak. [News Source]

The real price of the £2 chicken. With its pasty flesh, tightly sealed under cellophane wrapping, the chicken sitting on a blue polystyrene tray on the shelf at Asda really doesn't look like much of an 'icon'. [News Source]

Vaccine maker gears up in case of flu pandemic. A new flu vaccine plant in Pennsylvania is set to begin operations as soon as next year, boosting the supply of vaccine for the annual flu season and providing a much-desired U.S. source of vaccine for use in a flu pandemic. [News Source]

Indonesian woman in Bali may have died from bird flu. Samples from an Indonesian woman who died on Sunday on the resort island of Bali have tested positive for bird flu after an initial test, officials said. [News Source]

Bali in fear at bird flu death (Daily Telegraph) BALI has recorded its first human death from bird flu, with hundreds of birds being culled in a massive operation yesterday in a bid to contain a possible outbreak. [News Source]

Deadly bird flu moves closer (The Courier Mail) BALI has recorded its first human death from bird flu and authorities have begun culling all birds in the area in a bid to contain a possible outbreak. [News Source]

Game Commission News: PGC reports avian influenza info on website (The Sentinel) As hunters prepare for waterfowl and migratory game bird seasons, the Pennsylvania Game Commission urges hunters to review information posted on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) about avian influenza and wild birds. The information can be accessed by selecting “Avian Influenza” in the “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right corner of the agency s homepage. [News Source]

Indonesian woman is first bird flu death on Bali (Reuters via Yahoo! News) An Indonesian woman has died of bird flu in Bali, the first confirmed human death from the virus on the resort island hugely popular with foreign tourists. [News Source]