Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 23, 2007

UN Warns World at Greater Risk From Infectious Diseases
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=18E8815:A6F02AD83191E160760F04FF86D17AF09574F7DCC14957C0 World Health
Organization says infectious diseases are spreading around the world
at faster rate than ever before, making them more difficult to treat





The World Health Organization says infectious diseases are spreading
around the world at a faster rate than ever before, making them more
difficult to treat.

In its annual World Health Report, issued Thursday, the United Nations
agency says one or more new diseases have been identified every year
since the 1970s, a rate it says is "unprecedented."

The agency also says efforts to control such well-known diseases as
tuberculosis have been compromised as they evolve into stronger, more
drug-resistant forms.

WHO says the spread of infectious diseases is due to the growth of
international air travel over the last 50 years. It has confirmed more
than 1,100 outbreaks of different diseases over the past five years
alone.

WHO is urging greater cooperation among its 193 members in reporting
health outbreaks and sharing viruses to help develop vaccines.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP


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