Thailand Stepping Up Measures To Prevent H7N9 Virus

[webfact]

Special Report:
Thailand stepping up measures to prevent H7N9 virus

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is stepping up measures in preventing the new strain of bird flu called H7N9 virus, which has been found in China, while Thais have been urged not to panic over the situation.

Public Health Minister Dr Pradith Sinthawanarong said all local health agencies are joining forces to keep a close watch on the situation after the new H7N9 virus was found in China.

The ministry has issued warnings to hospitals nationwide to monitor patients with severe pneumonia and influenza. Mobile laboratories with bird-flu testing units have been prepared in case of a severe outbreak.

Members of the public have been urged to avoid contacts with poultry and to notify Health authorities in case of any unusual deaths of poultry.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has suggested that the closed door raising system for poultry could help reduce and control an H7N9 spread. Ms Yingluck also urged Thais not to panic over the situation as any bird flu epidemic depends on the surrounding environment and sanitation.

The PM added that Thailand would apply the experiences from the previous spreads of avian influenza to tackle a possible H7N9 epidemic in the country.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Yukol Limlamthong has asked the Livestock Development Department to keep all bird flu-prone areas nationwide under surveillance.

He pointed out that an infection of the new strain of avian influenza could barely occur in Thailand since the kingdom did not import poultry from China, where many fatal H7N9 cases had taken place. He cited the current hot weather in Thailand as another factor that made it hard for the virus to develop.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has cooperated with all related agencies in randomly collecting samples of poultry feces in at-risk areas, especially border zones and places where bird flu was found in the past. Animal quarantine stations along the borders have also been instructed to step up measures to make sure that no poultry enters the country.

Meanwhile, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control Phornthep Siriwanarangsan has expressed no concerns over the H7N9 situation while asking all hospitals to send in samples collected from influenza and pneumonia patients for lab tests.

He said the World Health Organization (WHO) is now conducting an investigation to find the origin of the H7N9 spread in China and is warning countries worldwide to stay vigilant.

Symptoms of bird flu include cough, fever, sore throat, and muscle aches, while some people also experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. And in a few cases, a mild eye infection (conjunctivitis) is the only indication of the disease.


-- NNT 2013-04-19

[rkidlad]

Free face masks?

[Yunla]

Ms Yingluck also urged Thais not to panic over the situation as any bird flu epidemic depends on the surrounding environment and sanitation.

[A Member]

Will this be like the last time when bird flu was denied for a month so as not to hurt chicken exports and K. Newin said anyone who said there was bird flu in Thailand was " unpatriotic "

[Bellweather]

Will this be like the last time when bird flu was denied for a month so as not to hurt chicken exports and K. Newin said anyone who said there was bird flu in Thailand was " unpatriotic "

I wonder when this strain was first detected here ?

[Thai at Heart]

If this gets here, it will be chaos.

Millions of chickens culled, no exports, and it will go like wild fire through the rural areas.

Fortunately we haven't been blessed with a record number of Chinese tourists recently who like to clear their throat regularly....

[Ricardo]

Perhaps the Thai government might offer to supply China, with specially-treated rice chicken-feed, to treat their possibly-infected birds ?

Or are they afraid of being told to flock off ?

[Felt 35]

Who can forget the early days of 2004.........definitely no bird flue in Thailand..........

www.focusweb.org/node/286

[Thai at Heart]

Perhaps the Thai government might offer to supply China, with specially-treated rice chicken-feed, to treat their possibly-infected birds ?

Or are they afraid of being told to flock off ?

It's all CP anyway

[Thai at Heart]

Perhaps the Thai government might offer to supply China, with specially-treated rice chicken-feed, to treat their possibly-infected birds ?

Or are they afraid of being told to flock off ?

It's all CP anyway

[chewyyy]

If this gets here, it will be chaos.

Millions of chickens culled, no exports, and it will go like wild fire through the rural areas.

Fortunately we haven't been blessed with a record number of Chinese tourists recently who like to clear their throat regularly....

LMAO @ this Thai @ Heart btw i'm Chinese-American....nyc, same-same

[Thai at Heart]

If this gets here, it will be chaos.

Millions of chickens culled, no exports, and it will go like wild fire through the rural areas.

Fortunately we haven't been blessed with a record number of Chinese tourists recently who like to clear their throat regularly....

LMAO @ this Thai @ Heart btw i'm Chinese-American....nyc, same-same

I have always enjoyed China, but that one issue is just horrible. I took a group to Europe for business.

When they hacked in the plants in the lobby of the hotel in Paris, that was something to behold.

[rubl]

"Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has suggested that the closed door raising system for poultry could help reduce and control an H7N9 spread."

I wonder who told her to say that? Apart from not being sure the suggestion is sound, I particularly wonder about the 'reduce and control'. Either something lost in translation or already in progress in Thailand?

[Thai at Heart]

"Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has suggested that the closed door raising system for poultry could help reduce and control an H7N9 spread."

I wonder who told her to say that? Apart from not being sure the suggestion is sound, I particularly wonder about the 'reduce and control'. Either something lost in translation or already in progress in Thailand?

Battery produced chicken is safe, is what she means. Of course, we needn't work out which company that refers to.

This company demands to be taken care of by any Thai government.

[xen]

I am always pleased when i see a person with an infectious disease using a face mask so as not to spread their diseases to us . I especially like the micky mouse face masks you can see in Hong Kong as it must be difficult to remain lighthearted when you have a disease that is so bad you need the face mask.

[Joe Mamma]

I was the only one spared from the swine flu last year. What suffering that was. China seems to be the Mexico of the region, Spreading its swollen masses worldwide and with it diseases.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Joe Mamma

[willyumiii]

First step should be a ban on non confined chickens.

In developed countries, aware of the hygiene problems caused by free ranging and pooping poultry, chickens are confined.

It is proven that roaming chickens spread disease.

In Thailand, these filthy birds are permitted to wander and pillage wherever they wish.

In the name of public health, all non confined chickens should be killed and burned A.S.A.P.

This is a very serious problem.

[willyumiii]

I've been noticing more than the average number of dead chickens, mostly youngsters, laying around the village in recent weeks. Anywhere or anyway to have one tested to see if it is here?

Maybe unrelated, but I was told yesterday that the locals who work in the chicken factories nearby, who usually get paid weekly, haven't been paid in over three weeks! What up with that??

[Thaiaddict01]

So what's the latest with H7n9? is it ok to travel to China? I need to go to Macau for a few days, should I cancel my trip or go?