Countries should put their heads together, and share vital information with the sincere motive of protecting people across nationalities from a dreaded form of flu. The time is ripe to evolve a cohesive international effort in the development of a vaccine, which will necessitate the sharing of important information regarding influenza virus samples, including genetic sequencing data.

Since 2003, bird flu has taken flight and spread around the world, from Asia to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The WHO estimates that ever since the flu outbreak in Asia in 2003, nearly 50 countries followed suit with subsequent bird-flu outbreaks.

The virus has claimed nearly 146 lives since 2003, according to the WHO. Countries with confirmed human deaths are: Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.