Japan to extend bird flu grants

Japan to extend bird flu grants

TOKYO: Japan will extend US$1.61 million in grants to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to help the UN body prevent bird flu from spreading in Asia, the foreign ministry said Friday.

The aid will finance FAO's projects to prevent the spread of bird flu in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, which have been hit by the deadly virus since last year, the ministry said.

"Carrying out appropriate disease-prevention operations in these countries will lead to preventing bird flu from spreading further to neighbouring countries in Asia," the ministry said in a statement.

The virus has killed 23 people in Asia and resulted in the culling of millions of fowl. Japan has also been hit by its own bird flu outbreak but has found no human cases of the disease. -- AFP