Bird Flu Outbreak In Thailand

[RJJ]

Well we all know the rumours of how HIV was transmitted from the monkeys to Humans; I suggest nobody "Phucks" the chickens in Nakhon Sawan (at least for a little while!)

It's for the good of the human race...

[freitag1]

Its always way more exciting to live in Thailand than in western countries! Thanks jomtienbob for the explanation. Makes sense.

[Prakanong]

My take: The flu never really disappeared.

They just talk about it now because there is, as mentioned above, this conference in town:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/...ent_7482746.htm

They have to keep these gentlemen busy.

Slightly out of context the whole drama, but the media obviously love it.

The conference has been planned for a while and its bird flu season in the region now.

I am in Bangkok on business for 11 days and a lot of our Dr's are here too attending the conference - I work in pharma and specifically the division that deals with H5N1

[Prakanong]

I wonder if Dr. Suwit Wibulpolprasert's idea to seize foreign nationals in the event of an influenza outbreak is still floating around? The "good" doctor had proposed taking hostage Western tourists until Thailand had received flu vaccines. Thai Nobel prize laureate? Not in this century.

Take me hostage - i am now sitting in an office that has our flu vaccine candidate - its for our staff here in thailand should the WHO disease rating hit a certain number

[freitag1]

So should we go out and get ourselves some Tamiflu? That's what my doc gave me some years ago for my travels to Thailand.

[Prakanong]

So should we go out and get ourselves some Tamiflu? That's what my doc gave me some years ago for my travels to Thailand.

It can be quite hard to source as Govt's etc have been ordering a lot of the production.

If you can get some or Relenza

I have seen some computer models based on a outbreak to humans (virus shift or drift) in Korat delivered by a leading researcher into avian flu.

Different scenario's were produced.

People with either 1 or 2 doses of the current vaccine licensed plus Tamiflu / Relenza and all combinations of that plus no protection.

PS: Thailand has not signed any contracts for the current vaccine AFAIK unlike a lot of other govt's. WHO has 50 million doses though and so if Thailand were first it would probably get it for free as they tried to contain it.

[Ricardo]

Former-PM to Start New Cookery-Show, in Competition with New PM

Extremely-rare Mongolian-Ducks discussing the News of an Out-Break

Photos - Bangkok Herald-Examiner

Government sources anticipate announcement on government-sauces shortly.

[freitag1]

I did some research so Tamiflu is still not for sale in Thailand?

[fsuthai]

My take: The flu never really disappeared.

They just talk about it now because there is, as mentioned above, this conference in town:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/...ent_7482746.htm

They have to keep these gentlemen busy.

Slightly out of context the whole drama, but the media obviously love it.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you strongly on this topic. Avian Influenza (bird flu) is not anything to joke about or take lightly. It is a nasty little virus that literally eats internal organs and tissue, mostly the respiratory tract but has attached other body parts in humans. Fortunately for us, it is not spread easily (from birds to humans or human to human) like many other flu virons. It is carried by wild, migrating bird species and domesticated fowl (chichens, ducks, & turkeys mostly) can catch it quite easily if allowed to mingle with the wild birds. The virus is spread in the feces, nasal secretions, and from tear ducts. The wild birds seem to have developed enough immunity to stay relatively healthy but most of them are carriers and some of them are killed by the virus as well.

I haven't checked the latest statistics but as of early March, 2006, there were 39 countries with human infections from H5N1 and 105 of the 186 confirmed cases resulted in death. At that time it had also caused the death or destruction by culling of over 140 million domestic chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. Since the human fatalities have doubled since then, it is likely that this virus has caused the loss of 200-300 million domestic birds. It is a very heavy economic blow to the industry and a disaster to home (back yard) flocks.

Due to the continued threat of possible mutation to a human/human form of transmission, it is watched very carefully by state health officials and teams from the World Health Organization. Let us all hope that there is no further spread in Thailand. Anyone wishing a copy of a 'bird flu' study course may email me [[email protected]] and I'll attach a copy by return email. (The stats are from Mar., '06 but the history, composition, prevention, control, recommendations, etc. are still pertinent.)

Chok dee...

[phukethovercraft]

Well, it has always been here.

[Galong]

Isn't the World Health Organization the same moron who claimed that as many people or more would die from disease after the tsunami than died from it??? Maybe they mistook Thailand for New Orleans.

They are NOT authorities on health. They are blood-sucking media leeches and I don't believe a thing that they say. they've cried 'wolf' too many times to be trusted.

Furthermore, I'll bet 216 people died from Malaria today... what about doing something about that WHO? Oh, that's right, it's poor blacks in Africa and poor Asians tucked away out of sight... they don't count I reckon.

WHO is about as trustworthy at Talk-sin.

[Tony Clifton]

I did some research so Tamiflu is still not for sale in Thailand?

Tamiflu itself has been known to kill...

[xbusman]

This is a subject of the utmost seriousness. India is reporting that the virus could well spiral out of control in the next week or two. It never left Indo and has reappeared in Vietnam and Thailand. If I am not mistaken, Europe, England and parts of the middle east are being afflicted as well.

Should this genie get out of the bottle and become truly human to human, we are talking about something that would make nuclear war look like childs play.

[freitag1]

Yeah I did a search on google news and wow surprise we have some more countries with troubles. A lot more! India leading the pack.

[Galong]

This is a subject of the utmost seriousness. Should this genie get out of the bottle and become truly human to human, we are talking about something that would make nuclear war look like childs play.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling... yeah, yeah, yeah... BORING.

I don't trust/believe anything that the media or WHO says. They've been saying this global pandemic is going to kill us all for how many years now? The real questions are (1.) How the World Health Organization stands to benefit from creating more hysteria and (2) How are they funded and (3) how much more money will they get if they can scare everyone.

This is like that stupid colored threat level that the rednecks use to keep people worried about terrorism.

[stepenwolf1958]

Oh no!

We have just finished building my Thai sister-in-law a new chicken run.

Of all places .. in Nakhon Sawan!

I'm not sure if she has bought some chickens yet, but most likely ..

Looks like it is a classical case of bad timing .

Don't worry,probably she didn't...But if you are sure she REALLY built anything,they will use that farm in other way,so no big deal about the bird flu...May be,after your check,all will be just a case of BAD INVESTMENT(for you)...just check it out all...PM me,please

[Johpa]

When Thaksin was around he was able to deal with these circumstances decisively and with extreme prejudice. OK, so some of his henchman killed a few innocent geese and ducks and even a few turkeys to settle some personal scores. But he did get rid of the chicken problem, or at least forced it to go underground and out of the schools.

[cutter007]

This is the most hyped disease on the planet, 200+ people since the classified it.

Thats less people than traffic accident deaths during Song Kran in a day.

[marc11864]

The fact of the matter is that no matter how many birds are slaughtered, H5N1 can not be avoided nor contained, merely slowed. Ultimately, I believe what needs to be done is to cultivate the virus using proper containment procedures so that an acceptable antidote can be manufactured and provided at low cost to the countries initially infected with the human version of the virus.

Killing chickens and writing alarmist stories won't help in the long run.

[sriracha john]

Bird flu outbreak in Nakhon Sawan

Officials isolate farm and cull all chickens

The Livestock Development Department yesterday confirmed that avian flu has re-emerged in Nakhon Sawan province. Department chief Sakchai Sriboonsue said the H5N1 strain was detected at Sriprai chicken farm, which belongs to Sriprai Kaewmaneechai, in Nakhon Sawan's Chumsaeng district. All 56,670 chickens at the closed farm were culled yesterday.

Ten farm workers and three people who live near the farm were quarantined as a precaution.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/25Jan2008_news09.php

=============================================================================

A farmer feeds ducks at a rice field in Ayutthaya province. The H5N1 bird flu virus has re-emerged in a northern Thai province for the first time since March last year.

REUTERS

Edited January 25, 2008 by sriracha john

[Scott]

I am not too worried about this at this point. It's reasonably hard to get and unless it makes that big leap to humans, I think the gov't, regardless of it's ineptitudes will be able to handle it.

If I were a chicken, then I'd worry, since they now have the same life expectancy as a Christian missionary in Saudi Arabia!

[Thai at Heart]

This is a subject of the utmost seriousness. Should this genie get out of the bottle and become truly human to human, we are talking about something that would make nuclear war look like childs play.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling... yeah, yeah, yeah... BORING.

I don't trust/believe anything that the media or WHO says. They've been saying this global pandemic is going to kill us all for how many years now? The real questions are (1.) How the World Health Organization stands to benefit from creating more hysteria and (2) How are they funded and (3) how much more money will they get if they can scare everyone.

This is like that stupid colored threat level that the rednecks use to keep people worried about terrorism.

If it ever comes to a point of proven human to human transmission in Thailand, I think your opinions will change very very rapidly. Not quite doomsday, but Survanabhumi will feel a very long way away.

[geriatrickid]

Well we all know the rumours of how HIV was transmitted from the monkeys to Humans;

Argh!!!!!!!!! Not a rumour. It was long suspected and finally, the breakthrough came in 1999, almost a decade ago. Chimpanzees were the reservoir.

Here's the original announcement http://main.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=8535

The virus mutated from a monkey strain into the chimpanzee population

Here's an article from 2003 discussing it.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...vvirusjump.html

The idiotic habit of one primate (human) eating another primate (chimpanzee) allowed the virus to take hold.

Every public health worker that was awake during genetics 301 knows how easily a virus can mutate. With the living conditions in rural parts of asia, it's only a matter of time. When the virus does mutate, not if, it will make the SARS epidemic seem like a tryst with chickenpox . A travel embargo even for a few weeks would wipe out Thailand's tourist industry. Deprived of the FX that pays for oil, heavy machinery and high tech material, Thailand would fall into an economic depression that would provoke unrest etc. It's not just Thailand, but the rest of the world too. Imagine if the EU or USA were obliged to ban travel between regions, not just countries. Well, that's one of the things that will be done along with the rationing of medical care and medicine when an epidemic occurs. People forget what simple flu epidemics in the last century did to the world. Aint gonna be pretty.

[Ijustwannateach]

Every time they announce the number of culls the math is different.

First there were 50,000 to be culled.... then 20,000 of 50,000 had been culled and they were going to cull 45,000 more... then all 56,000 had been culled....

[Jai Dee]

Livestock Authority of Uttaradit to create approval stickers for poultry

Livestock authority of Uttaradit province Panom Meesiriphan (พนม มีศิริพันธุ์) revealed that during the Chinese New Year festival, beginning from February 7th the authority will be launching a project to insure the safety of poultry meat, including both chicken and duck. The authority will aim to build consumer confidence in consuming poultry during the festival.

Mr. Panom stated that his office will make the effort to control the production of poultry from its farm origins through until the process of preparation for sale. Poultry meat that is monitored by the authority will receive a sticker and be placed in a plastic bag assuring their safety.

Mr. Panom is confident the project will help to create consumer faith and also help to endorse cooperative farms that meet the authorities standards. The authority stated that the project insures poultry sold in the province will not be affected by events in Nakorn Sawan where one farm was found to contain over 16 thousand avian influenza infected chickens.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Livestock Director orders shut down of all poultry farms in Nakorn Sawan

Following the discovery of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in chickens of a Choomsaeng (ชุมแสง) district farm in Nakorn Sawan province lab tests have confirmed up to 14,000 infected fowls. The Director of the Department of Livestock Sakchai Sriboonsue (ศักดิ์ชัย ศรีบุญซื่อ) has traveled to the area and ordered the destruction of 59,670 chickens.

The livestock director has also instructed officials to conduct an X-Ray over a 5 kilometer radius of the initial farm to stem the spread of the virus. The department projects that it may increase the radius of the X-Rays to 10 kilometers within 30 days. Mr. Sakchai has also ordered the closure of all poultry farms within a 5 kilometer radius of the initial farm.

The livestock director affirmed that his department has constantly monitored and safeguarded against the spread of avian influenza but theorizes that this case may have been caused by free roaming birds traveling from foreign terror ties infecting farm hens. The department avows to work at its utmost to cease the spread from the province and has ordered stringent measures over the transport and handling of all poultry.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

BMA to call meeting on prevention of bird flu esp during Chinese New Year

Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMTA), Sitthisat Chiemwongphaet (สิทธิสัตย์ เจียมวงศ์แพทย์), says BMA will call a meeting amongst poultry slaughter house entrepreneurs on the prevention of bird flu during the Chinese New Year this year.

The meeting will be jointly held by BMA’s Department of Public Health and the Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Public Health on February 1.

BMA decided to call the meeting on bird flu prevention due to a recent detection of bird flu virus in Nakhon Sawan province. The deputy permanent secretary adds that BMA will also step up measures to control transports of poultry from the vicinities to Bangkok and spray disinfectants onto risky areas.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 January 2008

[Ricardo]

Livestock Director orders shut down of all poultry farms in Nakorn Sawan

Following the discovery of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in chickens of a Choomsaeng (ชุมแสง) district farm in Nakorn Sawan province lab tests have confirmed up to 14,000 infected fowls. The Director of the Department of Livestock Sakchai Sriboonsue (ศักดิ์ชัย ศรีบุญซื่อ) has traveled to the area and ordered the destruction of 59,670 chickens.

Not 59,671 or 59,669 chickens ? Very impressive precision here.

The livestock director has also instructed officials to conduct an X-Ray over a 5 kilometer radius of the initial farm to stem the spread of the virus. The department projects that it may increase the radius of the X-Rays to 10 kilometers within 30 days. Mr. Sakchai has also ordered the closure of all poultry farms within a 5 kilometer radius of the initial farm.

I never knew that it was possible to control the spread of viruses by using X-Rays in open countryside ? Perhaps the X-Rays might be deployed, by detonating a nuclear device, alternatively just building Thailand's new nuclear-power plant here should also do the trick !

The livestock director affirmed that his department has constantly monitored and safeguarded against the spread of avian influenza but theorizes that this case may have been caused by free roaming birds traveling from foreign terror ties infecting farm hens. The department avows to work at its utmost to cease the spread from the province and has ordered stringent measures over the transport and handling of all poultry.

Blame the farang (birds) as usual ! Or are these subversive terrorist free roaming birds ? This theory is of course better than suggesting that the disease has continued to exist undetected within Thailand since its last outbreak.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 January 2008

[absolutelyBangkok]

Well, the international media don't jump on the bandwaggon.

Bird flu, it seems, is here to stay.

[Galong]

...it will make the SARS epidemic seem like a tryst with chickenpox . A travel embargo even for a few weeks would wipe out Thailand's tourist industry. Deprived of the FX that pays for oil, heavy machinery and high tech material, Thailand would fall into an economic depression that would provoke unrest etc. It's not just Thailand, but the rest of the world too. Imagine if the EU or USA were obliged to ban travel between regions, not just countries. Well, that's one of the things that will be done along with the rationing of medical care and medicine when an epidemic occurs.

SARS epidemic? Don't more people die daily from Malaria than the total number of people who died from SARS? I think SARS was greatly over-stated/over-promoted by the media. So some white folks died (I'm white too) so it made the headlines... It wasn't the pandemic that they tried to tell us it was going to be. Crying Wolf seems to be the norm these days.

Yes, this could do a lot of damage but until there is some solid evidence that it's mutating, I see no reason to worry and I CERTAINLY see no reason to stop traveling.

I gotta go eat some chicken now.