US Senate hears bird flu threat continues

(Reuters) - Bird flu poses as big a threat to the world as ever, and people need to worry about it more, U.S. senators and health leaders agreed at a meeting on Wednesday.

The Senate hearing was told that the H5N1 avian flu virus could cause a human pandemic at any time, killing perhaps millions, yet preparations are slow

Federal health officials said they were working to raise preparedness but progress has been slowed by budget limitations and the generally poor state of public health in the United States.

"I am concerned that there is not as much public awareness or concern today as there was a year ago ....You don't want to unduly alarm people. (But) I think people are unconcerned."
Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on health.