World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization is investigating reports of a cluster of suspicious bird flu deaths in Indonesia last week. After attending a family gathering on the northern island of Sumatra, eight family members fell ill. Six of those present at the gathering died. Tests confirmed the presence H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu. WHO spokeswoman Sari Setiogi says the cluster is the largest seen in Indonesia.

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A World Health Organization report argues that the global shortage of doctors and nurses is hurting the fight against HIV/AIDS and other serious diseases and leaves the world exposed in the event of an event of a pandemic. The WHO study concludes that the developing world has about 4.5 million fewer doctors and nurses than population trends suggest it needs. The authors argue the shortfall is due to the so-called "brain drain" effect, with medical professionals in many areas migrating to …

> The World Health Organization again said there is no evidence that a bird flu outbreak in Turkey involves cases of human to human transmission. However, the WHO does fear H5N1 will spread to neighboring countries. Article

> The SEC proposed sweeping changes to its pay disclosure rules for executives. The new rules could increase pressure on healthcare companies already facing criticism over …

Fears grow in Europe as health officials in Turkey announced that the country's H5N1 outbreak appears to have spread, leading some health experts to argue that the virus mutated into a form capable of more efficient transmission. As many as 70 people were hospitalized around the country yesterday with symptoms of the disease. World Health Organization officials continue to insist that there is no evidence that the disease has acquired the dreaded capability for human-to-human transmission …

> A third member of a Turkish family has died of bird flu in the town of Dogubeyazit, close to the Iranian border. The World Health Organization says a quarantine has been imposed on the town. These are the first bird flu deaths outside of Asia. Article

> Louisiana, which faces an uninsurance crisis after Hurricane Katrina, granted Affiliated Computer Services' a 20-month, $11 million contract extension to …

Despite recent treatment advances that can extend the lives of sufferers, experts warn that more aggressive international action is required to prevent regional outbreaks of HIV-AIDS in Africa, Eurasia and the Far East from exploding. The World Health Organization says up to 40 million people are infected with HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS. International health officials say 20 million people have died since the condition was first detected.

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The World Health Organization said it is drafting a plan that will try to prevent the spread of an avian flu epidemic by targeting an outbreak at its source rather than waiting for a pandemic to develop. Under the proposal being drafted by a small group of researchers at the international agency, WHO would use a stockpile of 3 million courses of the antiviral Tamiflu to hit any area impacted by the H5N1 virus as soon as signs of human-to-human transmission are evident. The plan reflects a …

Authorities in China have reclassified three cases of pneumonia reported last month as the H5N1 virus. One of the patients involved died and the other two are in stable condition. In response, the Chinese government announced new measures aimed at controlling the disease, including a total ban on live poultry sales. Also on Monday, World Health Organization Director-General Lee Jong-wook called a pandemic "inevitable" and said the impact of a global outbreak of the disease would be …

The Centers for Disease Control released new diabetes numbers which appear to suggest the disease is tightening its grip on American society. According to CDC researchers, 20.8 million Americans now live with some form of the condition, an increase of 14 percent from two years ago. The jump reflects an increase in the age and weight of the average American. The growth trend for the disease is not limited to the US alone, researchers note. The World Health Organization recently released a …

> The World Health Organization warns that global deaths from chronic diseases may top the 400 million mark. Article

> The Supreme Court heard arguments on Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law today. Analysts expect the court to side with the federal government. Article

> The …