	Introduction

A strain of the avian influenza virus known as H5N1 threatens to develop into a human pandemic. First appearing in birds and humans in Hong Kong in 1997, the virus re-surfaced in late 2003 and since has spread throughout Asia, causing over 130 reported human deaths from Vietnam to Turkey and appearing in birds in Africa and Europe. The strain is considered particularly dangerous because of an apparent fatality rate of well over 50% and because of the risk that the virus may develop the ability to pass efficiently between humans. This report focuses on the efforts of overseas governments to combat the spread of avian influenza. For more information on H5N1, U.S. domestic preparedness efforts, agricultural issues, and U.S. international assistance to countries struggling with the virus, please see CRS Report RL33219, U.S. and International Responses to the Global Spread of Avian Flu: Issues for Congress , by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL33795, Avian Influenza in Poultry and Wild Birds , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL33145, Pandemic Influenza: Domestic Preparedness Efforts , by [author name scrubbed]. As of August 14, 2006, 21 cases of human H5N1 infection had been reported in China, of which 14 were fatal. In 2006, deaths from H5N1 jumped in Indonesia, surpassing Vietnam in number of fatalities from the virus.
A strain of the avian influenza virus known as H5N1 threatens to develop into a human pandemic. First appearing in birds and humans in Hong Kong in 1997, the virus re-surfaced in late 2003 and since has spread throughout Asia, causing over 100 reported human deaths from Vietnam to Turkey and appearing in birds in Africa and Europe. The strain is considered particularly dangerous because of its human fatality rate to date of over 50% and because of the risk that the virus may develop the ability to pass efficiently between humans.
This report focuses on the efforts of overseas governments to combat the spread of avian influenza, specifically on the response of those countries which have confirmed human deaths from the virus. As of August 2006, the vast majority of fatal and total cases have been in East Asia, including Vietnam (42/93), Indonesia (44/57), Thailand (16/24), China (14/21), and Cambodia (6/6). In 2006, human cases and deaths from H5N1 were newly reported in Azerbaijan (5/8), Turkey (4/12), Egypt (6/14), Iraq (2/2), and Djibouti (0/1). Appearance of the disease in animals has spurred prevention efforts on three continents, including the slaughter or vaccination of millions of domestic poultry.
For more information on H5N1, U.S. domestic preparedness efforts, agricultural issues, and U.S. international assistance to countries struggling with the virus, please see CRS Report RL33219, U.S. and International Responses to the Global Spread of Avian Flu: Issues for Congress, by [author name scrubbed]; CRS Report RL33795, Avian Influenza in Poultry and Wild Birds, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL33145, Pandemic Influenza: Domestic Preparedness Efforts, by [author name scrubbed].
This report will be updated periodically.