Special report: Global fight against bird flu
    DHAKA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that the bird flu situation in Bangladesh remains serious and called for action to get it under control, Bangladeshi daily The Financial Express reported Tuesday.

    "In response to recent outbreaks, the government and veterinary authorities have applied immediate control and containment measures in affected areas," said Joseph Domenech, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer, in a statement Monday.

    "But there is an urgent need for vigorously stepping up and extending current H5N1 control campaigns in order to prevent the virus becoming widely entrenched," Joseph Domenech said.

    Since the first officially announced avian influenza outbreak in Bangladesh in February, the virus has spread to 11 out of 64 districts. So far there have been no reports of human infection in Bangladesh.

    "Bangladesh has already prepared a National Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness Plan and an Emergency Operational Plan to meet the threat of bird flu and is implementing these plans to control the disease," Domenech said, while adding, "The situation remains of serious concern and will require further national engagement and coordinated international support."

    He said Bangladesh has a "real chance to get the virus under control, if it commits itself to a full-scale comprehensive national control campaign" and pledged FAO's assistance in this effort.

    There have so far been over 280 confirmed human infections cases worldwide, more than half of them fatal, the vast majority in South-East Asia.