28 January 2008 -- An alarming situation has arisen in India where the bird flu epidemic has taken hold and spread further.

At present it has been confirmed in the Indian state of West Bengal with most of the districts in that state now affected.

Officials have said that over 2.5 million birds would be culled and health professionals fear the outbreak could get out of control.

No cases of human infection have still been reported.

Particularly alarming for officials is the fact the flu is getting to Calcutta. Already the disease has been confirmed only an hour's drive from the city.

Rural families, many thousands of which depend on poultry for their income face ruin.

There is little evidence that the virus can be transmitted easily between humans. Most human victims have contracted the disease through close contact with affected birds.

But there is still much concern, particularly in regards to the villagers who do not wear any protective gear when dealing with the birds.

Meanwhile according to the World Health Organisation, as at January 24, 2008:

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced the death of a previously confirmed case of H5N1 infection. The 30-year-old male from Tangerang District, Banten Province died on 24 January 2008.

Of the 120 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 98 have been fatal.

The Ministry of Health in Vietnam has confirmed a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The case has been confirmed by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).

The case is a 34 year old male from Tuyen Quang Province. He developed symptoms on 10 January, was hospitalized on 16 January and died on 18 January. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to his illness. Poultry infected with H5N1 avian influenza were identified in the case's village following his illness.

Control measures have been implemented and close contacts have been identified. All remain healthy and will continue to be monitored.

Of the 102 cases confirmed to date in Vietnam, 48 have been fatal.

Click here to see how many cases there have been and where.