All of these elements indicate that the fight against bird flu may last longer than people expect, and experts say preparations should be made. Chan of the WHO said 170 countries have pandemic preparedness plans, an increase from 50 in 1997. Moreover, the world is making progress in controlling and preventing pandemics by working together to establish a global cooperative system.

According to WHO forecasts, less developed countries have a bigger risk of rampant bird flu because they generally have no effective prevention systems. Countries need to help each other by sharing technologies, experiences and information.

Chan said the implementation of revised international health regulations in June would help countries respond more effectively to bird flu outbreaks.

China's preparations

As a traditional agricultural country, China feels strong pressure to prevent bird flu. Last year, hundreds of millions of birds were slaughtered on farms, because as soon as an outbreak of the H5N1 virus was found, all birds within a 3 km diameter area were culled. In 2006, a total of 12 cases of human infection from bird flu were reported in nine provinces and autonomous regions; six patients died.

China has begun to prepare for an epidemic. Last year, related departments vaccinated more than 95 percent of domestic poultry and tracked 6.8 million virus samples. In some provinces, almost 100 percent of the farm birds have been vaccinated. In addition, the epidemic disease control and prevention system established during the SARS infection in 2003 has proven effective in fighting bird flu in recent years.

However, Cao Qingyao, Spokesman of the State Forestry Administration, warned on February 7 that as migrating birds fly north from Southeast Asian countries such as Viet Nam, China faces a bigger risk of bird flu because the birds might carry the H5N1 virus from neighboring countries.

Cao said the administration has required its provincial and autonomous regional divisions to promote the prevention and supervision of outbreaks of bird flu, especially in wild birds and animals. China has set up 350 state-level, 550 provincial-level and even more smaller supervision points, which is the first step in establishing a supervisory network for wild bird and animal diseases.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture also is taking measures to cope with possible challenges. Yin Chengjie, Deputy Minister and Spokesman of the ministry, explained the major measures on February 12, noting that the ministry has dispatched work groups to 16 provinces and autonomous regions that have a higher risk of bird flu infection since January.

Yin said the measures would focus on each process of supervision, such as controlling the borders, securing the quality and availability of vaccines and improving its emergency response capability, to combat the situation.

The government has decided to train more village veterinarians and animal epidemic prevention technicians in order to cope with the shortage of such staff in villages and townships.

In 2008, an animal epidemic prevention system is expected to be in place, at a cost of 8.8 billion yuan. China hopes to be able to completely control and eliminate several animal epidemic diseases, including bird flu, by 2015.

In mid-February, a pharmaceutical company in south China's Guangdong Province succeeded in developing traditional Chinese medicine to cure the disease. The medicine will be put on the market after clinical tests.