# 318
Right now, Indonesia is in the news, and deservedly so. That archipelago nation of 245 million people currently has the highest reported number of deaths from the H5N1 virus in the world, and accounted for more than half of the reported fatalities from the disease in 2006.
But the H5N1 virus is endemic in many nations, and surveillance and reporting in some of these areas is non-existent. Nigeria, for instance, has reported numerous outbreaks in poultry, yet no human infections. One has to wonder if this is due to some difference in the virus, a lack of adequate reporting, or some other, as yet, unknown factor.
This story from Reuters on the renewed Nigerian offensive against the disease.
Nigeria pledges action against bird flu
Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:18 AM GMT
By Tan Ee Lyn
GUANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Nigeria is taking the threat of bird flu seriously and will take action to prevent its spread, acknowledging that failure to do so will hurt its economy, a leading official said.
The country last week culled more than 20,000 chickens at a northwestern farm where bird flu had been detected. Workers fumigated the area.
Nigeria first discovered the disease in poultry early last year in a northern state. But despite culling and quarantine, it quickly spread to many parts of the country.
Hitting back at some experts who regard the country as a weak link in the global fight against the H5N1 virus, Ahmed Abdulkadir, special adviser to the Nigerian president, told Reuters in an interview that Nigeria took the threat of the disease extremely seriously.
