ups, as governments from China to Britain have struggled to balance public safety with business and political interests and a fear of public hysteria. Malaysian news agency Bernama reported on Wednesday the government had directed media not to report the "so-called bird flu outbreak". Government officials denied issuing any such instruction but media sources said editors had been told to play down the story out of fear of public panic. China was heavily criticised last year for covering up the early spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Thailand faced similar accusations this year when it initially blamed a bird flu outbreak on a stock disease humans cannot catch. British scientists accused their government of covering up for 10 years the risk to humans from mad cow disease, now blamed for the deaths of more than 80 people since it surfaced in 1985. The WHO called on Saturday for more information from China after a scientist there said bird flu had been found in pigs. Influenza viruses have in the past jumped from birds to pigs, and then to humans. Malaysian poultry farmers, banned from selling eggs and poultry in their key export market of Singapore, face losses of up to $790,000 a day. Chicken dishes remain on sale in Malaysia, but restaurant workers say sales have dipped, despite government reassurances that cooked poultry and eggs are safe. "If you have (chicken) and don't want to eat it, please give it to me," Health Minister Chua said.
