Panasonic calls people home over flu fear

TOKYO, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Panasonic says families of overseas workers in Africa and other regions are being ordered home to Japan in anticipation of a severe flu outbreak.

Workers will remain in their posts while their families return home by September from Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Russia, South America and Asia, excluding Singapore, said Panasonic spokesman Akira Kadota.

Panasonic fears an outbreak of influenza, including H5N1 bird flu, Kadota said, noting the H5N1 virus has been confirmed in more than 60 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe since 2003.

The virus has killed more than 250 people since 2003 with the peak outbreak occurring in 2006 with 115 confirmed cases and 79 deaths, CNN reported.