Dr. Margaret Chan, the new chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), warned on Thursday that the world must keep its vigilance against the threat of a potential flu pandemic.

Chan, who formally took office on Thursday, said the bird flu situation in the last few months had seemed a little "quiet", but warned that things had begun "stirring up again in recent weeks."

"The evidence is still there, that is, the H5N1 (virus strain) is causing unprecedented damage to the poultry sector, and along the way many people were infected, and more than half of these people died," Chan told reporters.

"We must not let our guard down. We must maintain our vigilance," she added.

Chan also warned that the public health community not only should guard against the deadly H5N1 virus, but also other bird flu viruses or their mutated forms, which also have the ability to cause a pandemic.

"The next pandemic, if it occurs, will be very devastating," she warned, citing reasons such as population growth, weak public health systems and infections of other diseases such as AIDS in African countries.

Chan, from Hong Kong, is the first Chinese to head a United Nations' specialized agency. She was named as director-general of the 192-state world health body last November, to succeed Dr. Lee Jong-wook of South Korea, who died unexpectedly in May.

At her first press conference as WHO chief, Chan also expressed optimism that her nationality would help further strengthen cooperation between China and the WHO.

"I truly believe that of all people I would be in a better position to discuss with the Chinese authorities the sharing of specimens and of examples," she said.

On Taiwan's attempt to become an observer of the World Health Assembly, Chan said it was an issue that must be dealt with according to WHO policies.

"So far as the policy matter is concerned, meaning the 'one China' policy, it is the prerogative of WHO member states," she said, adding that, as WHO director-general, she would strictly implement policies decided by WHO member states.

Source: Xinhua