A United Nations official says governments in Asia must act quickly to fight the spread of AIDS. Dr. N told a meeting in Thailand that the disease could create an economic and social crisis in Asia as it has in Africa. AIDS infection rates in Asia are much lower than in Africa. The U.N official warned that Asia would have 40% of the new infections worldwide within seven years if action is not taken now.

The United Nations Health Agency has warned that severe acute respiratory syndrome could infect more people in the coming winter. The World Health Organization says SARS is not currently spreading. But health experts are concerned that SARS might be a seasonal disease. The officials have advised people to take preventive medicine for influenza. That would help doctors to more easily identify SARS cases. The symptoms of SARS are similar to those of influenza. Many people recently believe to have had SARS actually had influenza. SARS spread in many Asian countries and the Canadian city of Toronto late last year and this year.