The North Korean government is increasingly concerned over the growing avian influenza (also known as bird flu) epidemic in East Asia, state-run media indicated on Thursday.

But preventive methods issued by media remain primitive, suggesting that an outbreak of H7N9 avian flu – which has a 40 percent fatality rate – in the country could have a disastrous effect.

“If one is infected with the bird flu… within one to two days, one will suffer from high fever and headache, followed by coughing and sputum,” the North Korean ruling party organ Rodong Sinmun said on Thursday.

“One would have to adapt many methods