Origami birds for bird flu lessons

Bangkok, Thailand - Action star Jackie Chan is starring in a new video to help protect children and families from another deadly villain - bird flu.

Chan talks to six young children in a new public service announcement about the dangers of bird flu, the United Nations Children's Fund said on Tuesday.

While playing with colourful origami birds with the six children, Chan tells them that birds can pass on avian flu to people, so it's important to stay away from sick and dead birds, especially chickens.

He then adds that "playing with paper birds is fine", Unicef said in a statement.

The children in the one-minute video, ranging in age from six to nine, came from various countries and were filmed in Hong Kong with Chan in May.

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus re-emerged in Asia in 2003 and has spread to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

More than 200-million fowl have been killed by the virus or slaughtered to control the spread of the disease, the statement said.

At least 238 people have been sickened by the virus, including at least 139 who died, mostly in Asia, according to the World Health Organisation. Most had contact with sick birds.

The public service announcement was produced by Unicef, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, and was funded by the Japanese government. - Sapa-AP