More than 6 million birds have been culled since the outbreak was reported Nov. 3, but the epidemic has spread to 18 towns in the region.

"Bird flu has not been totally controlled in China and the danger of its spread still exists in some areas," Premier Wen Jiabao told Xinhua news agency. "Local governments (should) pay attention to the epidemic situation and focus on preventing the disease from jumping to humans."

The outbreak has been blamed on the illegal use of ineffective, fake and black-market vaccines.

Agriculture Minister Du Qinglin had warned against the use of such vaccines before the outbreak occurred.

"The use of fake and shoddy vaccines will result in a disaster. If the vaccines are not up to standard, then immunization to the virus will not be uniform or effective. This could bring huge losses.

"If we miss the chance to exterminate the virus in the early stages, then the difficulty in wiping it out will increase by several times, as will the spread of the epidemic. We must fully recognize that at present there is a possibility that the epidemic will spread and expand. This is not an exaggeration just to scare people."

Elsewhere:

-- Initial tests have shown that an Indonesian teenager who died this week is likely to have had avian influenza.

Officials are waiting for confirmation of the results, but, if confirmed, this will be Indonesia's fifth death from bird flu, and the 65th worldwide.

-- Japanese officials believe that recent occurrences of bird flu detected among the country's poultry flocks are unrelated to outbreaks of the disease elsewhere in Asia.

Agricultural Ministry spokeswoman Akiko Suzuki said strains of the disease found in Ibaraki Prefecture, north of Tokyo, may have come from Central America.

The localized nature of the outbreak, as well as test results showing that the viral strain was similar to one found in Guatemala and Mexico in the late 1990s, indicates that the strain came from illegally imported vaccines, Suzuki said.

Japan has banned all avian-influenza vaccines.

-- American scientists have developed a testing kit capable of detecting the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in two hours, a significant improvement on the current seven days needed for confirmation.

The kit is undergoing rigorous scientific testing around the world and, pending results, is expected to be available through the World Health Organization in January 2006.

-- Vietnam has become the first country granted a license by Roche, maker of Tamiflu, to produce generic versions of the drug.

Cao Minh Quang of the Vietnamese Health Ministry said, "Vietnam will be authorized to produce Tamiflu, which will help the country acquire sufficient quantities of the medicine in order to face up to a bird flu epidemic."

Production is expected to begin early next year and may see Vietnam producing as many as 20 million capsules in its first year.

-- Singapore, which has not suffered any outbreaks of avian flu, is fighting off the disease with chickens.

Nineteen sentinel chickens, bred without immunity and therefore susceptible to disease and infection, have been stationed around Jurong Bird Park. The birds are regularly monitored for signs of illness.

"If anything happens, the sentinel will be the one who will get the infection first," said Executive Director Wong Hon Mun. "But they're always in the background of the exhibits because they're supposed to be the secret police."

-- Minsheng Life Insurance, a Chinese firm, has become the first in the world to offer a life policy specifically for avian influenza. The policy, which has received government approval and is due to be launched shortly, will pay out a maximum of 100,000 yuan ($12,400).

-- Insurance of a different sort is being sought by KFC. The fast-food giant is currently preparing TV advertisements informing customers that there is no risk of contracting bird flu from eating poultry.

The company plans to shelve the commercials unless an outbreak occurs, and spokesman Jonathan Blum "hopes not to use them. ... We're keeping our fingers on the pulse of what happens day in and day out around the world. And we are taking action in terms of preparing for this in the event it becomes an eventuality in any market."

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