Thai gov’t lists provinces as at risk from bird flu re-appearance (People’s Daily) Thailand's Public Health Ministry on Friday listed 14 provinces as at risk from a re-appearance of the H5N1 bird-flu virus. "The cool weather provides a good environment for it," the website by The Nation newspaper quoted deputy permanent secretary Dr. Paijit Warachit as saying. The 14 provinces include Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Chai Nat, Prachinburi, Nakhon Nay, ... [News Source]

Nepali gov’t declares country “bird flu affected” (People’s Daily) Nepali government on Friday has declared Nepal as a "bird flu affected country", local news website myrepublica.com reported. An emergency meeting of the cabinet held on Friday afternoon in Nepali capital Kathmandu has decided to exterminate all birds in the areas three kilometers from the Nepal-India border at Kakarvitta in Jhapa district, some 320 km southeast of Nepali capital Kathmandu. ... [News Source]

Bird flu scare: Chandigarh keeping watch on winged visitors (IANS via Yahoo! India News) Chandigarh, Jan 17 (IANS) As this city plays host to around 15,000 migratory birds which are here for the winter, the administration is watching out for signs of danger - in the form of bird flu that hit some Indian states last year. [News Source]

Avian influenza: Infection study worries farmers, bird lovers. Dutch researchers will deliberately infect wild swans with avian flu to study effects on bird migration and viral spread. Although they are using a virus that causes no detectable disease in birds and poses no risk to humans, many have concerns. [News Source]

Report shows US only half ready for flu pandemic. U.S. states have made progress in stockpiling drugs and preparing to vaccinate people in case of a flu pandemic but are far behind in plans for the ensuing months of disruption, the government said on Thursday. [News Source]

Deadly bird flu strain hits Nepal (BBC News) Nepal confirms its first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, officials say. [News Source]

Eastern Nepal registers its first bird flu outbreak (Russian Information Agency Novosti) NEW DELHI, January 16 (RIA Novosti) - Nepal has introduced measures to deal with its first outbreak of the deadly bird flu virus in the eastern border region of the Himalayan country, the government's press secretary told reporters on Friday. [News Source]

Bird flu hits Nepal (New Kerala) Kathmandu, Jan 16 : Unscathed by the past bird flu epidemics that had swept its giant neighbours India and China, Nepal has finally reported the first outbreak of the deadly poultry disease, declaring an eastern town adjoining the Indian border quarantined area. [News Source]

Bird flu hits Nepal (IANS via Yahoo! India News) Kathmandu, Jan 16 (IANS) Unscathed by the past bird flu epidemics that had swept its giant neighbours India and China, Nepal has finally reported the first outbreak of the deadly poultry disease, declaring an eastern town adjoining the Indian border quarantined area. [News Source]

14 provinces at risk from reappearance of bird-flu (The Nation – Thailand’s English news) The Public Health Ministry has listed 14 provinces as at risk from a reappearance of the H5N1 bird-flu virus. "The cool weather provides a good environment for it," said deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit. [News Source]

Nepal confirms first outbreak of bird flu (AFP via Yahoo! News) Nepal on Friday reported its first outbreak of bird flu in poultry, confirming a case of the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus in the eastern part of the Himalayan country. [News Source]

Novartis nets bird flu vaccine deal (The News & Observer) Swiss drug company Novartis won a $486 million, eight-year contract from the U.S. government to produce a stockpile of bird flu vaccine at its factory under construction in Holly Springs. [News Source]