Expert says no need to panic over bird flu

The World Health Organisation's top expert on influenza has reassured the people of Hong Kong that there is no need to panic over the outbreak of bird flu that has claimed two lives in the past week.

Daniel Lavanchy, the director of the WHO's influenza programme, told a news conference that the virus did not spread easily, and there was still no firm evidence that it could spread from one person to another.

Eight people have so far contracted the virus, which is believed to come from chickens.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service