2 avian flu labs for Mindanao (Mindanao Times) THE government is building three Avian Flu laboratories, two of which are in Mindanao and the other in the Visayas. The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) report stated that these infrastructures are largely funded by a grant from the Japanese government through the Japan Trust Fund. [News Source]

Bird flu pandemic poses ‘great risk’ to Australia (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) The head of the communicable disease program at the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Australia will be at great risk if a bird flu pandemic occurs. [News Source]

China steps up efforts to cleanse reputation. In recent weeks, Beijing has begun its most concerted global public relations offensive since the outbreak of SARS. [News Source]

Indonesian man suspected of having bird flu (People’s Daily) A 33-year-old Indonesian man, who is being treated at a hospital in Riau province, has been suspected of having avian influenza, as an initial laboratory test showed he is positively having the disease, the Health Ministry said Wednesday. ... [News Source]