The new avian influenza outbreaks in Vietnam and Thailand show that the bird flu virus remains endemic in Asia and is unlikely to be eradicated in the near term, the UN´s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) based in Rome said Tuesday.

    FAO said in a joint statement with the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) that the disease "will be present for several years in the countries that experienced the epidemic outbreaks during 2004."

    "Avian influenza is an ongoing emergency disease that spreads across borders. It has serious implications for public and animal health sectors in affected countries," said the statement.

    "The international community has to realize that some poor countries in Asia living with the bird flu virus must receive more support to intensify precautionary measures and to contain the risks associated with the disease," it said.

    The immediate challenge is to control outbreaks at their source and stop it spreading to other regions, it added.

    To contain the epidemic, support from the international community is needed to strengthen the veterinary infrastructure and implement effective control strategies based on better biosecurity, modernized industry practices and vaccination, the statement said.

    Around 18 million US dollars has been provided to fund emergency bird flu containment activities since February 2004, said the statement, but more is required to cover prevention and control programs.

    The FAO said bird flu outbreaks could worsen following the December tsunami disaster which induced large scale poultry movement in the affected areas.

    The organization is sending an expert mission to Indonesia, SriLanka and the Maldives this week to assess losses in the livestock sector and future rehabilitation needs.