The Lao government has recently urged local sectors and people nationwide to prevent potential bird flu outbreaks more actively, according to reports reaching here from Laos' news agency KPL Tuesday.

Under a directive issued by Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, organizations and individuals in the country, especially state agencies at both central and local levels, should make greater efforts to combat bird flu which may hit some localities in the near future.

Laos' National Committee for Avian Influenza Prevention has recently built up a national strategy on preventing and battling the disease. Funds for the strategy's implementation are being mobilized.

Bird flu has not yet stricken Laos, but it may occur in some areas, the directive quoted a report of the World Health Organization (WHO) as saying.

A total of 231 human cases of bird flu infections, including 133 fatalities, have been confirmed in 10 countries, since 2003, according to a statement of the WHO posted on its website on July 20. Countries with high numbers of fatalities include Vietnam with 42, Indonesia with 42 and Thailand with 14.