Bird Flu......... It's Back

[udon]

Thailand confirms bird flu outbreak

By South-East Asia correspondent Peter Lloyd

Thailand has confirmed its first outbreak of a deadly strain of bird flu for the year.

The announcement comes as the sixth person in three weeks dies from the virus in Vietnam.

Thailand's Livestock Department has declared a state of high alert across the country after 20 cases of bird flu were found in fighting cocks in the eastern province of Rayong.

A second outbreak has been confirmed hundreds of kilometres to the north in 50 chickens in the central Phitsanulok province.

Chicken and fowl stock have been banned from being moved to or from both areas for the next 21 days.

Checkpoints have been set up to enforce the ruling.

In southern Vietnam six people have died from bird flu since December.

The authorities in Hanoi say all of the people who have died so far had close contact with infected chickens.

Tests are being carried out on a man in the country's north, who may have contacted bird flu from his brother, who died of a respiratory illness 11 days ago.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1285950.htm

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Edited January 20, 2005 by udon