International donors meeting in Beijing have pledged USD 1.9 billion to fight the dreaded H5N1 bird flu virus. The United Nations has said that further mutation of the virus and a pandemic for a year through transmission between humans would cost the world USD 800 billion and result in millions dead and economies crippled for weeks or months on end. The virus has killed 79 people since 2003, mostly in East Asia. Affected nations have been seeking financial aid for poultry owners who culled their flock. The virus has reached Turkey and continues to kill people there and in Asia and infect poultry flocks. While India remains unaffected, inadequate monitoring and reporting mechanisms could mean that cases may exist and people not aware of them. European chip makers in collaboration Asian companies are to release disposable computer chips that will predict presence of virus in humans within the hour.