Bird flu outbreak in northern Thailand

(Xinhua)

Updated: 2005-02-14 13:38

A patient suspected of having bird flu has been admitted to hospital in Thailand's central province of Phitsanulok, the Thai News Agency reported Monday.

The six-year-old boy from Bangrakam district has had a record of close physical contact with chickens, the agency said.

He is currently under constant medical supervision.

Government officials are worried about the bird flu outbreak in the province. Prompiram district has been worst hit, where the H5N1 virus was detected in eight different spots.

The authorities are preparing to destroy the poultry in the affected areas to help prevent the spread of the disease to nearby districts.

So far more than a thousand chickens have been culled in two villages in Phrompiran district.

It does appear that Bird Flu is now endemic and the big chicken businesses need to move up the value chain and ship out cooked product.