1:03pm (UK)

Thailand Bird Flu Outbreak Spreads

"PA"

Thailand today confirmed outbreaks of bird flu on two additional poultry farms, bringing the number known to be infected to three.

Deputy agriculture minister Newin Chidchob said: “Today we have two more spots confirmed in Kanchanaburi province.” It was unclear how many chickens had been infected.

Thai authorities announced on Friday that bird flu had infected chickens in Suphanburi province and made two people ill, ending weeks of government denials that the virus had reached Thailand.

Officials insisted earlier that sick chickens at farms across the country were suffering from poultry cholera and seasonal diseases that are not harmful to people, despite farmers’ protests that the government was not doing enough to prevent the spread of bird flu.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said earlier today that the government had suspected for several weeks that the country was facing an outbreak of bird flu, but did not tell the public for fear of widespread panic.

Suphanburi is 62 miles north of Bangkok and Kanchanaburi is 68 miles west of the capital. The provinces border one another.

The bird flu outbreak is potentially the worst crisis to face Thaksin since the telecommunications tycoon came to power in 2001 promising prosperity through economic reform.

A 56-year-old man is suspected of dying from the virus in Thailand.

Two boys, aged six and seven, are in hospital as confirmed cases and two other people are under surveillance. Six confirmed bird flu deaths have been reported in neighbouring Vietnam.

Officials have warned that Thailand’s massive chicken exporting industry, among the top five in the world, might collapse. Top markets led by Japan and the European Union have banned Thai chicken products.

Of more concern are fears of scientists who say the flu strain is fast changing and might mutate from its present form as a bird-to-bird and bird-to-human disease.

The World Health Organisation says a vaccine could be more than six months away. That would be too late for Asia’s flu season, a WHO spokesman said in Manila today.

Opposition parties have angrily likened Thaksin’s behaviour to that of the secrecy of Chinese officials during the critical initial stages of last year’s SARS epidemic that killed more than 700 people worldwide. They have announced plans to stage a no-confidence vote against Thaksin in Parliament.

HAGGIS HUNT

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As long as the chickens don't pass on the virus sexually, i'm okay.

The_Eye_Of_Sauron~

Uhmm, did you mean "as long as chickens only pass it on sexually", perhaps? Because the inference you made seems as though, uhmmm, you are having ... oh nevermind. I'll just chuckle and forget about it.

Jeepz

We have merged several threads regarding the Bird Flu.

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First Cases Of Bird Flu Confirmed In Thailand