The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Kolkata

The World Health Organisation Thursday warned that an outbreak of bird flu in eastern India was far more serious than two previous outbreaks.

"More serious risk factors are associated with this current outbreak than previously encountered, including that the affected areas are more widespread and because of proximity to extended border areas," the organisation said. Health officials are engaged in culling 400,000 birds in several districts of India's heavily populated eastern West Bengal state bordering Bangladesh, which is also struggling with the virus. The slaughter started a day after India's agriculture ministry confirmed that the death of 35,000 birds in West Bengal was due to the deadly H5N1 strain.