Paris, France 1. Exterior sign OIE - World Organisation for Animal Health 2. Exterior of World Organisation for Animal Health 3. Wide shot of panel of experts at bird flu conference 5. Bernard Vallat, Director of the World Organisation for Animal Health, in his office 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bernard Vallat, Director, World Organisation for Animal Health: "It is not a surprise, as you know, the rural economy of Niger is very degraded so the virus spreads as you know in Nigeria, in all of the country and so we are quite sure that all neighbours will be infected. Because Niger is a more economically-integrated country with Nigeria it is not a surprise that Niger becomes the first neighbour infected from the spreading of the virus from Nigeria." 9. Vallat 10. SOUNDBITE: (French) Bernard Vallat, Director, World Organisation for Animal Health: "It is very dangerous for the rural population that counts on breeding chickens for their own subsistence. So it is a catastrophe for the rural African economies and then also the more we'll have the virus spreading around the world, the greater chance of the virus transforming itself into a virus more dangerous for humankind." 11. Cutaway of Vallat at his desk Nairobi, Kenya 12. Wide shot of Kasarani estate with wild storks flying around 13. Pan left dead stork 14. Dead chickens dumped in Kasarani 15. Close up of dead bird with flies around it 16. Exterior of Veterinary Services Office in Kabete, Nairobi 17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr Catherine Wanjohi, deputy director of Kenyan veterinary services: "We collected samples yesterday and brought them to the laboratory, they are undergoing tests, I can't give you any results yet." 18. Wide shot of wasteland and dead chickens STORYLINE: Veterinary experts meeting in Paris warned on Monday of huge gaps in their knowledge of bird flu, particularly how wild birds might spread the disease. The admission was made as laboratory officials at the conference announced that Niger has become the second African country with confirmed cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain. Ilaria Capua, chief of the laboratory in Padua, Italy, said the tests were confirmed on Monday and the government of the impoverished West African country had been informed. The virus is believed to have spread unchecked in Nigeria, Niger's southern neighbour, before it was identified, and Nigeria's efforts to contain it have been hampered by a lack of resources and information. One of the chief concerns expressed at the conference is that the disease could spread from African poultry to wild birds, and then be carried to other parts of the globe as they migrate. Bernard Vallat, director of the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health, said the infection's arrival in Niger is not at all surprising because of its proximity to economic integration with Nigeria, where bird flu was confirmed earlier this month. Officials had said in mid-February they were investigating whether it had surfaced in Niger. Vallat called the spread a "catastrophe for the rural African economies." In Niger, a senior Health Ministry official said the virus was detected in Illela, a small village 73 kilometres (45 miles) from the border with Nigeria. He had no word on how many birds may have died or any other details. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. Further tests were being carried out to determine how closely the strain found in Niger matched the H5N1 strain detected elsewhere in the world. Experts have been particularly concerned about the spread of H5N1 to Africa, which is unprepared for such a health crisis because of its weak infrastructure. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/2eb56f4b398d62f8b65d966c54267a0a Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 30 Jul 2015
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