Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has warned that a bird flu epidemic may prove deadlier than last year's massive Indian Ocean tsunami, it was reported today.
"We have to make a contingency plan if this virus moves from one region to another," Mr Yudhoyono was quoted by the state Antara news agency.
He said the virus could spread quickly and kill people in large numbers in many regions.
"It will be the worst nightmare," he said. "This plague can be more dangerous than the tsunami which last year killed hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of minutes."
The December 26th earthquake and tsunami killed or left missing more than 220,000 people in 11 Indian Ocean nations.
Health officials have warned that the bird flu virus could mutate into a form that can be easily spread from person to person, possibly triggering a pandemic that could kill millions.