Study: Most nations have pandemic flu plan

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- More than 80 percent of countries around the world have some kind of national plan for dealing with a possible pandemic flu outbreak, says a report.

But the report adds that the quality of planning varies and that public planners have not properly addressed the impact such an outbreak would have on critical sectors other than healthcare.

The report, published Tuesday, is the annual survey of avian influenza and pandemic planning conducted by Annapolis, Md.-based iJET Intelligent Risk Systems.

The spread of H5N1 avian influenza virus -- which scientists see as the most likely source of a pandemic -- slowed in 2007, and the number of human infections fell, it says. Only five countries were added to the list of those with bird flu outbreaks through the year, in sharp contrast to the 40 that recorded fresh outbreaks in 2006.

"Pandemic monitoring and planning is essential and continues to be a major business consideration for multinational organizations," said Dr. Joan Pfinsgraff, director of health intelligence for iJET. "It is not only necessary, but imperative for organizations to understand the significant impact that a pandemic could have on their companies."