France reinforces defenses against bird flu

France said on Tuesday it would toughen defenses against the potential arrival of bird flu in the country, reinforcing checks at airports and building stockpiles of vaccines in the event of a human pandemic.

France has said there is a moderate but real risk that the H5N1 deadly strain of bird flu that has hit Asia and Russia could spread to Europe via migratory birds.

"Reserves of antiviral medicines, vaccines and protection measures for the population will be increased to the levels required to ensure the health of all French citizens in the event of any pandemic," the government said in a statement.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin chaired a meeting of relevant ministers to beef up the plan first announced in October 2004 to counter any potential threat.

French newspaper Liberation said the government had already acquired 5 million doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, produced by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche, and was planning to raise the level to 14 million by the year end.

The government said it would draw up contracts with two companies currently capable of delivering vaccines to ensure the whole population was vaccinated. It did not name the companies.

But the vaccine is still under development and it will take between three and six months before stocks can be delivered.

The government statement said controls at major international airports would be reinforced, but did not say how and when.

The number of protective face masks in stock would be increased to 200 million by the start of next year from 50 million.

It said Villepin had asked for a strategy to be drawn up by September 15 to inform the public on health risks and to prepare health professionals and poultry producers.

Experts fear bird flu could mutate to spread easily among humans and spark a global epidemic. So far, the virus has caused the deaths of 62 people and millions of poultry have been culled.

French health authorities have said that 20 million people could contract a mutated strain in the event of a pandemic in France, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.