The Office of International Affairs is closely monitoring information sources on the Avian Flu (also known as the H5N1 virus). Currently the risk of infection for humans is low, and we therefore do not discourage travel to or from any part of the world because of the virus.

We do recommend that you stay informed, particularly when traveling to countries where the virus has been found in bird or human populations. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services have developed recommendations for those traveling internationally.

The following links provide information on bird and human infections around the world.

Bird populations

Human infections

More information on the Avian Flu is available at:

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

Centers for Disease Control - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/

World Health Organization - http://www.who.int/csr/en/

Finally, we always recommend that international travelers consult the US Department of State’s consular information and travel warnings prior to making travel plans.