United Nations Radio

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that it has not changed its bird flu pandemic alert after receiving reports of three avian flu cases in China.

bird flu

A 16-year-old boy infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus is reported to have died today in China's central Hunan province.

WHO spokesman for Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response, Gregory Hartl, says poultry and human outbreak are not new in China so the agency's alert level remains at phase three.

"Pandemic phase three means that H5N1 is overwhelmingly a disease of animal. It's found in animals. It's present in animals and only occasionally transmits to humans. And when it is in humans, it is ineffective in a way to transmit between humans. "

Gregory Hartl warns that as the Chinese New Year is being celebrated at the end of this week, people should be cautious and keep poultry at a distance to avoid infection.

Gerry Adams, United Nations Radio

(duration: 1'05" )