Health ministry on alert for possible bird flu outbreak

By The Nation
Published on November 11, 2008

The Public Health Ministry has stepped up its monitoring of bird flu following the discovery of an outbreak among chickens in Sukhothai, Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday.Chalerm said public health officials in the province had intensified their search for possible cases among residents of Thung Saliam district, after some hens died of bird flu there on October 28.

Laboratory tests on Sunday confirmed one chicken was infectฌed with the virus after seven poultry deaths, said Agriculture Minister Somsak Prisanaanantakul.

The deaths occurred at a rural home where a family was raising 17 chickens. The remaining 10 birds were killed as a precautionary measure and a 3-mile (5 kilometre) radius around the home was declared an outbreak zone and sealed off.

"The situation is under control," Somsak said.

It was the first case of bird flu in Thailand since January, when two other outbreaks were reported.

He said the monitoring would be carried out for at least 14 days. Any person found to have fever and coughing will be taken to hospital for examination.

Disease Control Department directorgeneral Somchai Jakkraphan, who is visiting the village where the bird flu was detected, said nine provinces are under observation: Tak, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Phetchabun, Uttaradit, Khamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan and Uthai Thani.

The Disease Control Department will hold a meeting of chief public health officers and volฌunteers from the nine provinces on Thursday to discuss measures to prevent a bird flu spread during winter.

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