The six countries identified to be high on H5N1 virus are Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The countries have been reported to lag behind in eradicating the virus because of poor veterinary and livestock production services and poor management of infection.
A Global Strategy for Prevention and Control of H5N1 known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), developed by FAO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) cautions that elimination of infection from countries where the H5N1 virus is endemic will require consistent engagement and support, and advocated a medium- to long-term approach - rather than just an emergency response.
The report outlines measures that each of the six endemic countries should take to eradicate the virus including in the areas of outbreak control and response, gathering and analysing information, and disease prevention and risk reduction.
