Overview:
Since avian flu emerged in Southeast Asia in 2003, it has swept across Asia, Europe and Eurasia, and Africa. Avian influenza (“bird flu”) is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The infection can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness, which may pass unnoticed; to a rapidly fatal disease that can cause severe epidemics. Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans. However, there have been instances of certain highly pathogenic strains causing severe respiratory disease in humans. In most cases, the people infected had been in close contact with infected poultry or with objects contaminated by their faeces. Nevertheless, there is concern that the virus could mutate to become more easily transmissible between humans, raising the possibility of an influenza pandemic.
To date, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported more than 380 cases and 243 deaths (CFR 63%) in 15 countries. Three of these reported cases occurred in Africa (Egypt, Nigeria and Djibouti). In 2008, there were 42 cases reported with 31 deaths in six countries globally. Of the affected countries, only Egypt reported cases in Africa with 12 cases and 7 deaths.
With increased poultry trade and international travel, pandemic influenza has the potential to destabilize countries or regions. They cause large surges in the numbers of people requiring medical treatment, temporarily overwhelming health services. High rates of worker absenteeism can interrupt essential services, such as law enforcement, transport and communications, disrupting systems on which people depend for their security, livelihoods and welfare and giving rise to humanitarian crises.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) leads health preparedness efforts and has recently revised the 
International Regulations Framework. The regulations give countries clear and tested guidelines for reporting disease outbreaks and public health events to WHO, triggering response systems to isolate and contain threats. In the globalized world, viruses and bacteria can spread far and wide via international travel. A health crisis in one country can impact livelihoods and trade in another. Timely and open reporting of health dangers will help make the world more secure.
The Regional Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Southern Africa (OCHA ROSA) plays a lead role supporting the UN, national governments and the humanitarian community in pandemic planning, especially in non-health sectors.
Pandemic Preparedness Activities to national authorities and UN Country Teams (UNCTs) include:
§ Assessing UN and national pandemic readiness,
§ Maintain an on-line ‘tracker’ tool to map preparedness indicators and support in-country contingency
planning efforts;
§ Develop contacts with regional political institutions and other appropriate partners in order to raise awareness and advocate for multi-sectoral pandemic preparedness;
§ Undertake missions to support contingency planning and simulations of national and UN plans;
§ Assist UN Country Teams and national authorities in building pandemic preparedness plans and strategies into existing disaster preparedness and response mechanisms as well as disaster management structures;
To assist national authorities and UN country teams, prepare for a potential pandemic outbreak,
OCHA ROSA uses a number of pandemic operational guides.