Bird Flu Outbreak In Thailand

[ignoramus]

SARS. I mentioned this to my then doctor, who was unaware of it. It subsequently sunk below the waves.

H5N1. When reports about its re-emergence appear, I start to think a little like a 'sleeping' lion, with one eye half open, half the time. Unworried but watchful.

The Spanish flu was a doozy, the worst thing the world suffered at the time.

With the international travel of today, a similar epidemic/pandemic would knock the Spanish F into a cocked hat, deaths-wise. Face-mask manufacturer shares would skyrocket.

Politicians take only their own well-being seriously, mostly (by definition). In those countries where H5N1 appears it's to be hoped that the scientists knock really hard on the politicians' doors, if or when the time comes.

Meanwhile, I like crispy skin chicken (but then I'm in Australia).

[geriatrickid]

<deleted>?? The majority of fatalities were in China and Hong Kong followed by Canada. It is now accepted that Chinese authorities hushed up the actual extent of the epidemic. The world dodged a bullet on this because the coronavirus was not a fast moving item. What happened in Canada was that the public health authorities acted too slowly and were impeded in their requests for faster quarantine actions because the various provincial governments did not want to be "racist" in their approach to dealing with the flow of humans from China and Hong Kong. Read the results of the Royal Commission and you'll see why they subsequently made dramatic changes in Canada's protocols. What finally stemed the spread was the imposition of large scale quarantines and the fact that China went to red alert and implemented draconian measures that would certainly upset people in the west. SARS could have turned into a massive catastrophe had conditions been slightly different. Read the EU, WHO and CDC analyses of the events. The collective view is that the world had a horseshoe up it's butt.

Solid evidence that it's mutating? Like hello? Viruses mutate 24/7. All living organisms mutate. What happens is that it's a small piece at a time. Just a question of which piece. As for eating chicken, if it's cooked, I doubt that you'll become infected from the virus. Maybe salmonella, but not bird flu

[Tony Clifton]

There's a local farm animal vet who told me many times that H5N1 has been present ever since it was first discovered and was never eradicated. There are official cover-ups and then farmers not saying a word afraid to lose their birds.

He also insisted I eat CP chicken.

[xbusman]

I heard the same thing from WHO field workers. It has been in the countryside non stop since it was first reported.

There is no one who can say with any certainty that the virus will or will not mutate into a form transmissable human to human. Out of the thousands of viruses out there only a few ever do so. The odds against H5N1 are pretty long but as it continues to spread (and mutate) in close contact with humans, the odds shrink. No one knows the math. Here is the deal though, during mutation if four "Jackpots" come up for this particular stinker the world will forget Islam and the stock market for a very long time.

Our last survivors of the Spanish flu are but shortly gone or they could recount the complete devastation a flu can cause. I know because years ago I did research on WW1 and interviewed about 15 WW1 veterans. Each and every one told me, "the war was bad, but that flu was truly horrible". I, as a mere pup, wondered how a trench war with hand to hand combat coupled with machine guns and tanks in 1916 could compare with a flu causing a few sniffles and temperature. I found out what terrified these men who survived the Argonne, a depression, WW2 and the nuclear age. A flu so deadly that isolation was the only answer. Worse, our medical science today is no more prepared to deal with the flu virus than it was in 1917. Perhaps slightly more, we can identify the killer if it appears and perhaps make a vaccine for .01% of the population in time. But not much more than that. Tell me, do you think you are on the list for that vaccine?

We need to be very aware of Bird Flu and hope that the probabilities are longer than our lifespan.

[Galong]

SARS could have turned into a massive catastrophe had conditions been slightly different. Read the EU, WHO and CDC analyses of the events. The collective view is that the world had a horseshoe up it's butt.

But it didn't did it. It was contained. I have no faith in the opinion of the WHO. They claimed more people would die from disease after the tsunami and that did a LOT of damage to the tourism industry here. It was totally uncalled for. We took care of our people. The combination of the military, the locals, expats and everyone else made sure that everyone had plenty of food, bottled water and a place to stay. I don't trust WHO.

Solid evidence that it's mutating? Like hello? Viruses mutate 24/7. All living organisms mutate. What happens is that it's a small piece at a time. Just a question of which piece. As for eating chicken, if it's cooked, I doubt that you'll become infected from the virus. Maybe salmonella, but not bird flu

24/7? I doubt that. But even if they do, do they mutate to a form that makes them more dangerous? Maybe they do, but mutating to a form that makes them transferable to humans is another story. Until solid evidence exists that it is possible for this virus to move from birds to humans, I'm not worried. It's not that I trust governments or the "authorities", far from it. But I think that the media tries to make things sound much worse than they actually are. They cry wolf all the time.

[sriracha john]

It's spread to another province...

Movement of poultry to be controlled after bird flu case

Phichit, nearby provinces targetted

The provinces surrounding Phichit, where bird flu has re-emerged, have been advised to control the movement of poultry in a bid to contain the disease. Prajak Wattanakul, of the Phichit public health office, said the office had asked authorities in Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan and Phetchabun to set up road blocks to control poultry movement and spray trucks with disinfectant if necessary.

The livestock office in Phichit has put up nine road blocks near the border with Nakhon Sawan, where the first outbreak of bird flu was reported on Thursday. Phichit has been declared a red zone for bird flu infections, which were detected on Friday.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Jan2008_news04.php

[sriracha john]

and yet ANOTHER province becomes questionable...

Avian flu suspected in Kalasin

Bird Flu is suspected to have spread to a third Northeast province, Kalasin, after mass chicken deaths were discovered there yesterday. The first cases of the virus were discovered on Thursday in Nakhon Sawan.

Health officials then said on Friday the virus was responsible for bird deaths in Phichit.

Laboratory tests yesterday confirmed the virus to be H5N1.

In Phichit, 19 people in Sak Lek district have fallen ill, two aged younger than five, provincial health officer Prachak Watanakul said.

"All of them had direct contact with chickens. They will be monitored daily for at least 21 days. If they have the flu, they will be admitted to hospital," he said. Prapas Khongtaeng, the Sak Lek district chief, said 262 more chickens had been culled, bringing the total to 600.

Phichit Governor Preecha Ruangchan yesterday called a special meeting for the control and monitoring of the disease in Sak Lek, Pho Thale, Bang Mun Nak, Bueng Na Rang and Dong Charoen.

Kalasin Governor Pracha Jitsuthiphol said the province had culled thousands of birds in 2004 and implemented strict prevention measures and monitoring.

"The disease was gone for several years until now. With the climate fluctuating, with long cold periods and rain, animals and birds are suffering health problems. "We worry the recent discovery of chicken deaths will be bird flu," he said.

"I have launched monitoring in all districts, and chickens within 5 kilometres of the infection will be culled if it is discovered to be bird flu," he added.

- The Nation

[xbusman]

SARS could have turned into a massive catastrophe had conditions been slightly different. Read the EU, WHO and CDC analyses of the events. The collective view is that the world had a horseshoe up it's butt.

But it didn't did it. It was contained. I have no faith in the opinion of the WHO. They claimed more people would die from disease after the tsunami and that did a LOT of damage to the tourism industry here. It was totally uncalled for. We took care of our people. The combination of the military, the locals, expats and everyone else made sure that everyone had plenty of food, bottled water and a place to stay. I don't trust WHO.

Solid evidence that it's mutating? Like hello? Viruses mutate 24/7. All living organisms mutate. What happens is that it's a small piece at a time. Just a question of which piece. As for eating chicken, if it's cooked, I doubt that you'll become infected from the virus. Maybe salmonella, but not bird flu

24/7? I doubt that. But even if they do, do they mutate to a form that makes them more dangerous? Maybe they do, but mutating to a form that makes them transferable to humans is another story. Until solid evidence exists that it is possible for this virus to move from birds to humans, I'm not worried. It's not that I trust governments or the "authorities", far from it. But I think that the media tries to make things sound much worse than they actually are. They cry wolf all the time.

Just a couple of notes on your comments above. Viruses are weird things, more like math than living organisms. They want to "sustain" mathmatically, so to be successful they want to infect and transmit. So we can think of them as trying to become "transmissable". Now for the good news, they dont want to be overwhelmly lethal because that interferes with transmission. Viruses have a tendency to reduce lethality in order to transmit. They saw the same thing in H1N1, the Spanish flu and are tracking this trait in H5N1.

As for solid evidence that this can move to human/human form, we can use the jackpot analogy again. The probabilities are finite, not infinite. We dont know what the probabilities are, we only know that the jackpot hit one time. There are those that believe they can identify at least three flu jackpots since the beginning of the second millenium, maybe or maybe not, but we have proof positive the wheels came up once. Every day millions of people pull the handle on our viral slot machine and the wheels spin 24/7. It must be insanely difficult to get the right combination if we have only hit the jackpot once in the last two hundred years, but we have more people pulling and more movement of animals every day. The odds are not decreasing.

The real worry for flu experts is viruses from pigs, maybe appropriately enough, pigs are very close genetically to humans and its a much easier jump. I think the real worry is that h5n1 will find a way into swine somewhere in asia and fly below the radar long enough. Jumping from birds to humans is pretty tough. H5N1 can also jump into cats and dogs, that shows a pretty nasty ability to cross species. So vigilance and work to improve the food chain is about all that can be done. As with most public health issues, people only carry torches up to the castle after villagers are missing. Doctors are lousy communicators as we can all attest to, they make even worse politicians. So when they get worried, pays for us to take note, and the ones who work in virology are terrified of this new monster. It is the worst they have ever seen, beyond their worst nightmare. We need to do everything we can to keep this genie in the bottle.

[geriatrickid]

SARS could have turned into a massive catastrophe had conditions been slightly different. Read the EU, WHO and CDC analyses of the events. The collective view is that the world had a horseshoe up it's butt.

But it didn't did it. It was contained. I have no faith in the opinion of the WHO. They claimed more people would die from disease after the tsunami and that did a LOT of damage to the tourism industry here. It was totally uncalled for. We took care of our people. The combination of the military, the locals, expats and everyone else made sure that everyone had plenty of food, bottled water and a place to stay. I don't trust WHO.

It is lamentable that you would point to the success of various health protection bodies and use it to say there is no potential for an epidemic or crisis. As well, you apparently do not understand the role of the World Health Organization, "WHO".

WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

It is not structured to be a "first responder" agency and that is not its mandate, although it certainly does shoulder some of that responsibility.

The WHO did send assessment teams to all affected regions following the tsunami. It's recommendation, supported by the efforts of key foreign nations (EU, Australia, Canada & USA) to immediately release supplemental supplies of vacines to deal with the heightened potential for an epidemic was followed and it was because of that response a health crisis was avoided. The WHO was acting in conjunction with the respective Thai ministries and actions were taken in accordance with previously agreed to protocols. The damage in Thailand while serious was less severe than that in Sri Lanka and Indonesia so more resources were directed to those worse hit regions.

A complete accounting and summary of the WHO response is available here;

http://www.who.int/hac/crises/internationa...i/en/index.html

It's a bit odd that you would blame the WHO for oversight of a response that it was not directly responsible for. Because you did not see the WHO response and are unaware of its response including the support of the emergency vaccination program as well as the potable water and mental health care programs does not mean they did not exist.

[Blackandwhite]

Is this the same strain of Bird Flu that broke out on Bernard Matthews Farm (s) the Uk, chicken and turkey supplier

I think there were 200000 birds killed at his one plant

and also another 75000 on in another outbreak.

Not sure if it is the same strain ??

We have also had lots of wild birds found with it.

If it is guess it is everywhere, the key is how to handle it.

The other concern I guess is the corrupt government here in Uk like to hide things to save the problem being dealt with, then the press blow it out of proportion and before long there is mayhem and public panic.

DEFRA is the agency that deal with these types of things always know more than they like to admit.

[sriracha john]

Public Health Officials Inspect Bird-Flu Site in Phichit

Phichit's Public Health Office Chief Prachak Wattanakul visited the Thaphikul village in Sak Lek district, where around 70 chickens had suspiciously died on January 18, and laboratory tests found the H5N1 virus.

Recently, the state agency declared Phichit province as a red zone, which is the highest alert level of the bird flu, for 21 days, and assigned officers to cull poultry living within a 5-kilometer radius from the area where the outbreak was detected.

Furthermore, the provincial public health office has sent a medical team to check up on the health of local residents, and 19 local people living in the bird flu affected area were being closely monitored.

The inspection also revealed that bird flu had been found in the same area 4 years ago, causing villagers to stop fowl-raising for 2 years before the activities restarted later.

Meanwhile, the local livestock development office set up checkpoints on Highway number 117 from Phitsanulok to Nakorn Sawan province to prevent the transportation of birds into the area.

This precaution will be in place until the Chinese New Year celebrations end in early February.

- Thailand Outlook

[Jai Dee]

Pijit orders destruction of chickens in attempt to stop spread of bird flu

Officials in Pijit province have ordered the destruction of farm chickens in a 5 kilometer radius around a suspected infection of avian influenza in Sak Lek district (สากเหล็ก). The action was ordered by Pijit Governor Doctor Preecha Ruangchan (ปรีชา เรืองจันทร์) who is seeking to isolate the virus and cull its spread.

Doctor Preecha has also instructed authorities to spray anti-viral chemicals in key areas throughout the district, especially in areas connecting to Pitsanulok province to stop any cross-province infections. The Pijit administration has contacted Pitsanulok administrators, informing them of a province border check points setup to prevent the transport of poultry.

The province will be cleared of its red status if it can suppress any further bird flu cases by February 2nd.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Rumours of avian flu affect sale of poulty

Chicken merchants in Huay Kwang (ห้วยขวาง) market call on the government to provide a more sustantial guarantee to chicken farmers and merchants. Reports have stated that consumer confidence in chicken meat has dropped dramatically after the discovery of H5N1 virus in Nakorn Sawan.

A chicken meat merchant in the market, Mrs. Boonchu Phiwsa-aat (บุญชู ผิวสะอาด), says that following the news of avian influenza in Nakorn Sawan, demand in her chicken meat has dropped by 50 percent. Mrs Boonchu says her chicken stall usually makes about 30,000 baht per day. However at present, she could only fetch 10,000 baht per day. In addition, prices of fresh chicken meat have drastically dropped from 58 baht to stand at 48 baht due to the consumers’ fear of the situation.

Mrs.Boonchu highly suggests the government to step up measures to protect chicken merchants. She says one of the way to help alleviate the chicken scare is for the state agency to educate the public on how to safely consume chicken meat.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Livestock Director says no other areas at risk of avian influenza at the moment

Director of the Livestock Department Sakchai Sriboonsue (ศักดิ์ชัย ศรีบุญซื่อ) revealed that at the moment the department holds no suspicions of avian influenza other than in areas surrounding the initial outbreak regions in Nakorn Sawan province and Pijit province. He also reminded that the suspected infection in Pijit province is still awaiting confirmation from labs.

Mr. Sakchai stated that authorities from the Ministry of Public Health and Pandemic analysts are studying the known cases of H5N1 presence in poultry farms to decipher the cause for the spread. The Ministry of Public Health expects the matter to be clearer in 3-4 days. Early speculation states that because of cooler weather in the last months and heavy rain in the areas, conditions may have aided in the development and infection of the virus.

The Livestock Department and Ministry of Public Health has asked that all citizens monitor any birds that they are caring for suspicious symptoms such as sudden death, tearing, unexplained bruising. Such symptoms should be reported to authorities immediately.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 January 2008

[Ricardo]

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 !

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

Pijit orders destruction of chickens in attempt to stop spread of bird flu

Officials in Pijit province have ordered the destruction of farm chickens in a 5 kilometer radius around a suspected infection of avian influenza in Sak Lek district (สากเหล็ก). The action was ordered by Pijit Governor Doctor Preecha Ruangchan (ปรีชา เรืองจันทร์) who is seeking to isolate the virus and cull its spread.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 January 2008

Presumably the conducting of X-Rays has failed, so now the provincial-governor has ordered a more-effective cull, good move. Hope it's not too late - to prevent the spread.

[Jai Dee]

Livestock Director reports no additional H5N1 infections found

Director of the Department of Livestock Sakchai Sriboonsue (ศักดิ์ชัย ศรีบุญซื่อ) revealed that lab tests of suspected avian influenza infections in Sak Lek (สากเหล็ก ) district in Phichit province have shown the virus to be of the H5 strand but the department is still awaiting confirmation of whether or not it is the feared H5N1 variety. Mr. Sakchai also reported additional discoveries of infected poultry in Choom Saeng district of Nakorn Sawan province, where initial deaths prompted authorities to the presence of avian influenza in the area. The Livestock Director affirmed that officials in both provinces have implemented strict measures to cull the spread of the virus and urged the public to not panic over the situation.

Chief of the Ministry of Public Health Doctor Prach Boonyawongwirot (ปราชญ์ บุณยวงศ์วิโรจน์) assured that the ministry has instructed authorities in procedures to safeguard against the transfer of the bird flu into the general public. The ministry has prepared personnel, pharmaceuticals as well as contacted other related agencies to prepare for the coming Chinese New Year festival. Doctor Prach guaranteed that citizens can consume poultry during the coming Chinese New Year without worry as long as they are careful as to how they purchase chickens and ducks.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 January 2008

[CymruAmByth]

My company manufacturers a technology capable of dealing with the H5N1 virus and also a myriad of other viral organisms and allergens.

Last time I posted here about this, I got a slap for advertising.

Anyone needing to know more, please PM me.

[sriracha john]

Public warned against feeding ailing fowl

The Public Health Ministry Tuesday warned people not to feed or medicate ailing fowl because they risk getting infected themselves.

"It is very dangerous when owners carry an ill chicken to give it medicines. If the fowl are infected with bird flu, their owners will contract the disease too," the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said.

He also warned people not to have any contact with dead chickens.

"If the birds die suspiciously, do not sell their meat or eat it," Paijit said.

Currently, bird-flu cases have been found in Phichit and Nakhon Sawan, and lab tests are ongoing to determine if bird flu was behind the en masse deaths of fowl in other provinces, including Nong Khai.

- The Nation

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

Let's hope it's not spread to yet another province, Nong Khai. This is what happened last time around. It went from province to province as it spread...until every province had it.

I'm beginning to think it's safer to only buy chicken while it's still alive to insure the meat is from a animal that is symptom-free.... if only they didn't bleed all over the place when you go to prepare them for dinner, it'd be a lot less messier.

[Tony Clifton]

I think it's a bit dangerous to get caught in their game of H5N1 spreading from province to province, 75 very small territories in total, when the whole country is smaller than the state of Texas or France and that H5N1 is know to be present in surrounding countries.

[sriracha john]

Close Watch on Bird Flu Situation in North and Northeast

Kalasin Livestock authorities are hurrying to provide disinfectants to many local farms in the province to protect against the bird flu.

Meanwhile, the Nongkai Livestock Office inspected hygiene standards at poultry slaughterhouses in the province. Nongkai Livestock Chief Thongpoon Kaewbut inspected slaughterhouses in the province to check hygiene standards amid rising fears of the bird flu. A slaughterhouse belonging to Somkid Pathumchart in tambon Phra That Bangpuan in Muang District that supplies up to 300 chickens daily was inspected.

The Nongkai Livestock Chief states that the livestock office implemented a policy to combat the spread of avian influenza the last time the disease was present in the province. Samples have been sent from local farms for tests at the Livestock Office as usual.

Recently, chicken from a local farm in Ban Nakai Village was sent for testing at the lab after a farmer revealed that the birds died at the same time. In Nongkai Province, bird transfers are restricted for the moment.

With regard to the fear of the spread of bird flu recurring in the province, Kalasin's Muang District Livestock Chief Anucha Sirichan and authorities inspected the Leelakamol Farm today in tambon Lhup which supplies the market with about 300 chickens every day.

Authorities from Kusinarai District in the province reveal that a lab test performed on chickens that died of an unknown cause at a local farm in the district found no bird flu infection in the birds.

However, the authorities say there have been many deaths reported among farm chickens in many districts, including Somdet, Kaowong, Huaypueng, and Samchai.

The livestock authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Lab tests results are to be reported within a week.

Meanwhile, a veterinarian from the Pichit Livestock Office's checkpoint, Wicharn Nuankaew, revealed that checkpoints have been set up in many districts in the province, following reports of the possible spread of bird flu in the province.

This includes the border between Pichit and Nakhon Sawan at Bangmoonnark district. The transfer of chicken is now strictly prohibited.

The authorities report that a 38-year-old male, Surachai Srikata, was detained after he was found carrying the meat of 20 chickens on his truck into a restricted zone without permission.

Pichit Livestock Chief Pitsanu Tulayawanit states that many chickens at a local farm in Ban Tapikul Village in tambon Sarklek have died of an unknown cause since January 18th. The authorities are investigating the case and disinfectants have been provided to many farms in the village.

Some 17 checkpoints have been set up to monitor bird transfers in the area, following the Pichit Livestock Office's command.

Pichit Governor Preecha Ruangchan has ordered bird transfers in the province to be restricted. Villagers are urged to inform the livestock office within 12 hours if any of their farm chickens die. Pichit Public Health chief, Dr. Prajak Wattanakul revealed the team is closely monitoring the situation and providing services to locals in the areas where bird flu infections have been reported.

At the same time, the Pitsanulok Administration Organization today declared Wangthong District in the province a risk-zone for avian influenza.

So far, 974 farm birds have been culled. The authorities are performing lab tests on chicken carcass sent from farms. Today, Pitsanulok Deputy Governor Sompong Arunrojpanya said after presiding over a meeting with local officials to discuss the bird flu situation in the province, that officials are keeping a close eye on the situation.

He stated that so far there have been no new discoveries of avian influenza infection; however, many farm birds have died of an unknown cause in many districts in the province.

- Thailand Outlook

[Jai Dee]

Livestock Dept. reports no bird flu outbreak in other provinces

Director-General of the Department of Livestock Development Department Sakchai Sriboonsue (ศักดิ์ชัย ศรีบุญซื่อ) reports that no bird flu outbreak has been detected in other provinces except Phichit and Nakhon Sawan and instructs officials to inform him of every result of bird flu tests.

Mr Sakchai says the department has effectively controlled the bird flu situation in the two provinces and closely monitored information about the pandemic from the department’s Veterinary Research and Development Centers.

According to the director-general, the centers have detected no positive H5N1 in other areas. The department cooperates with poultry vendors in attaching stickers on poultry which are proved to be free from bird flu viruses during the Chinese New Year next month.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 January 2008

[sriracha john]

Public warned against feeding ailing fowl

Let's hope it's not spread to yet another province, Nong Khai. This is what happened last time around. It went from province to province as it spread...until every province had it.

The culling of birds and the suspicious deaths of birds is spreading to yet another province.......

Nakhon Ratchasima on bird flu alert

Nakhon Ratchasima health officials are on high alert for the bird flu virus after dozens of chickens were reported to have died mysteriously at a local farm. Orders were issued to chicken farmers in all 3,712 villages in the northeastern province to carry out tests at their farms to locate the virus and to spray disinfectants. According to the livestock department in Nakorn Ratchasima, 21 chickens were said to have died on January 28 at a farm in Non Thai district. Samples of faeces taken from the farm where the chicken died are being examined by health experts to confirm whether the chickens died of the H5N1 virus.

Chickens within a five-kilometre radius of the farm have also been culled as

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=125579

[sriracha john]

A revision to "The 12 Days of Christmas"...

"and a few thousand partridges in a gunny sack"

Bird Flu Prevention in Provinces

Nakhon Ratchasrima Province orders its livestock officials to spray disinfectant in Nonthai District after a number of chickens in the area died of an unknown cause.

Meanwhile, the Pichit Livestock office has culled 2,000 partridges, to prevent the spread of the avian flu epidemic.

Sarklek District Chief, Prapas Kongtang, and staff members from the Pichit Provincial Livestock Office performed a mass culling of more than 2,000 partridges raised on farm, after the Livestock Department discovered that some chickens in the district died from the bird flu.

In Nakhon Ratchasrima Province, Governor Suthee Makboon states the re-emergence of bird flu in Nakhon Sawan and Pichit provinces has forced other areas across the country to step up their protection measures to prevent a further outbreak of avian flu.

Suthee says the chicken industry is very important to Nakhon Ratchasrima Province, so the bird flu situation is always under a close watch and the province has run campaigns asking its residents and related agencies to beware of possible outbreaks, though there is still no report of an epidemic in the area.

However, the Livestock Office of Nakhon Ratchasrima Province discovered the unusual deaths of poultry in Nonthai District on January 28th. It cites that nine of 32 chickens raised by a villager have died of an unknown cause, while another 12 are sick.

The Livestock staff has consequently been assigned to collect samples of the chicken excrement for examination, cull the remaining chickens, and spray disinfectant in communities within a five-kilometer radius of the area where the chickens died.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Office in the province has been also instructed to investigate the history of the chickens' owner and examine whether he is infected with the avian flu.

- Thailand Outlook

[absolutelyBangkok]

Back then with Thaksin in the driver seat we had this honorable news item:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/32784

[Galong]

Back then with Thaksin in the driver seat we had this honorable news item:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/32784

Wow, he ate fried chicken... whoopteedoo. That proves absolutely nothing. He must think that everyone is as dumb/guillible as the people who voted for him.

[Jai Dee]

Mysterious deaths of chickens prompt authorities in Nakhon Ratchasima

Authorities in Non-Thai (โนนไทย) district of Nakhon Ratchasima province have ordered provincial public health officials to review several cases of mysterious poultry deaths in the area and to probe into chicken farm credentials. The action was prompted after authorities were informed of several chicken deaths of unknown causes.

Provincial Officials have collected samples of the chickens and sent them for examination while destroying the rest. The authorities also sprayed anti-viral chemicals in a five-kilometer radius around the area as a preventative measure. The province has not yet stated whether it suspects avian influenza was the cause.

Efforts to cull the spread of bird flu in Pichit province are also continuing with the recent destruction of 2,500 Partridges. Partridge farmers in the province received compensation of 10.75 baht per poultry

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 31 January 2008

[sriracha john]

Public warned against feeding ailing fowl

Let's hope it's not spread to yet another province, Nong Khai. This is what happened last time around. It went from province to province as it spread...until every province had it.

The culling of birds and the suspicious deaths of birds is spreading to yet another province.......

Nakhon Ratchasima on bird flu alert

The parade of provinces continues...

Strict Bird Flu Control in Buriram, Uthai Thani, Pitsanulok

Provincial Livestock officers have spread out in northern and northeastern Thailand to inspect areas, suspected to experience a bird flu outbreak.

Pitsanulok Livestock officials have sprayed disinfectant at a local temple, where fowls recently died en masse, before declaring the area as a monitoring zone even though they are still waiting for a lab test result to prove if the H5N1 virus is present there.

Locals have also been asked to promptly report suspicious poultry death and to contain their fowls in cages to prevent any possible virus spread.

Meanwhile, in northern Uthai Thani, officials have declared strict bird flu surveillance in 30 villages, which are adjacent to the Huay Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, due to worries over virus spread from wild birds.

Lab test is also being performed on dead birds, with the result expected in one week.

And in northeastern Buriram, livestock officials also sprayed disinfectant across the province, as it has been hit by the bird flu once in 2004. The transport of poultry is also being closely monitored in Buriram.

- Thailand Outlook

[sriracha john]

Poultry deaths spark H5N1 scare

A bird flu scare has gripped Nakhon Ratchasima province after a farmer reported his chickens and ducks were dying of unknown causes. Koon Pansantia alerted the provincial livestock office that 20 of his chickens and 10 ducks had died over the past week. Office chief Somboon Limwattana said carcasses from Mr Koon's farm had been sent for lab tests. Results should be available in a week. Prawet Suksangpanomrung, chief of the provincial livestock quarantine checkpoint located on the Friendship Highway, said poultry-laden trucks passing the checkpoint would be checked and sprayed with disinfectant. More than 200 trucks travel via the checkpoint daily transporting chickens to slaughterhouses in the province and nearby Saraburi province, he said. Thailand is in the midst of its fifth bird flu outbreak. The disease re-emerged last week in Nakhon Sawan and Phichit. Six people from five provinces have been put under surveillance for possible bird flu infection.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/01Feb2008_news14.php

[Jai Dee]

Ministry of Public Health keeps close watch against resurgence of bird flu

Director of the Physicians Office of the Ministry of Public Health Doctor Chathree Banchuen (ชาตรี บานชื่น) revealed that the ministry has ordered a warning for citizens to watch out for the spread of bird flu which is showing signs of resurgence in areas that it was once found. High risk regions include Nakorn Sawan, Uthai-thani, Pichit, Kampaengphet, Pitsanulok, Tak, Petchabun, Sukothai and Uttaradit province.

The Ministry will begin closely monitoring the mentioned areas today. The Office of Physicians has organized a pro-active meeting to create strategies for the control and treatment of avian influenza. The meeting results will be given to local administrators to aid in the guard against the diseases spread.

Hospitals will also be prepared with response wards for bird flu in Bangkok in conjunction with the Sanitation Department.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 February 2008

[Jai Dee]

People with suspected bird flu symptoms should see physicians immediately

The Mahasarakham Provincial Public Health Office urges public members with suspected bird flu symptoms to urgently visit their local clinics or hospitals for proper treatment.

Dr. Suriya Rattanaparinya (สุริยา รัตนปริญญา), says many bird flu patients in the past have records of getting in close contact with avian. He says patients with bird flu symptoms may suffer from high fever, muscle ache, head ache, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and loss of appetite. He says people with suspected bird flu symptoms should visit their local clinics or hospitals for proper treatment, rather than purchasing medicines on their own.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 February 2008