Countries around the world are bracing themselves to deal with the spread of avian flu, which is beginning to break away from its original "hotspot" of South East Asia.

Outbreaks of the latest H5N1 strain among birds were first spotted in Vietnam and Thailand in 2003. It spread to several other countries in the region, and has now established a foothold in western Turkey and Romania.
The World Health Organization now puts the number of human deaths at more than 60 out of a total of over 120 human cases.
The disease generally still does not transmit easily to humans, but reports of the disease among poultry in Russia and Kazakhstan in July 2005 - and the outbreaks in Turkey and Romania - have raised fears of a pandemic, prompting the WHO to urge heightened surveillance and vigilance.
It warns: "Each additional human case increases opportunities for the virus to improve its transmissibility, through either adaptive mutation or re-assortment.
"The emergence of an H5N1 strain that is readily transmitted among humans would mark the start of a pandemic."

Stewie (talking on Sesame Street phone): Put me through to the Pentagon!
Ernie: Do you know what sound a cow makes?
Stewie: Don't toy with me Ernie! I've already dispacted Mr. Hooper, I've got 6 armed men staioned out side Big Bird's nest, and well as for Linda, well, its rather difficult for a deaf woman to hear an assasin approach now, isn't it?!