Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

[Niko]

<table border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

</td></tr> <tr><td>Agence France-Presse
</td></tr> <tr><td>Posted date: January 24, 2008
</td></tr> <tr><td>
BANGKOK -- Thailand has confirmed a new outbreak of bird flu among chickens, the first detection of the deadly H5N1 virus in poultry in 10 months, the livestock development department said Thursday.The virus was found last week among chickens on a farm in Nakhon Sawan province, 245 kilometers (151 miles) north of Bangkok, a livestock official said, adding 4,085 chickens have already been slaughtered.

"The results of the laboratory test confirmed yesterday that it is bird flu virus," said the official, who declined to be named.

The latest outbreak was the first since Thailand found bird flu among chickens in March 2007. No human cases have been detected since July 2006.

Thailand has been among the countries hardest hit by the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus, recording 25 human cases, 17 of them fatal, since the outbreak began here in 2004.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed 219 people worldwide, mostly in Southeast Asia, since 2003, according to the World Health Organization.
The strain is mainly an animal disease, but scientists fear it could mutate to easily jump from human to human, sparking a deadly global pandemic.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php?article_id=114466

</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Niko]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Bird flu emerges in Nakhon Sawan


<!--AD5 Google--><!--END AD5 Google--> (BangkokPost.com) – The bird flu virus has been detected in Nakhon Sawan province, according to Department of Livestock official Somboon Srisuthep.

Authorities suspected the presence of H5N1 virus at a farm in Nakhon Sawan’s Chumsaeng district after thousands of chickens were found dead. A lab test conducted in Phitsanulok confirmed the chickens had died of the bird flu virus.

Officials have now ordered a quarantine of all avian livestock and requested the blanket disinfection of all poultry farms in the area within a five-kilometre radius of the infected farm.

Nakhon Sawan’s Department of Livestock has already issued a warning to poultry farmers and prohibited the movement of live poultry nationwide. Consumers were also warned to ingest only properly cooked chicken meat.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=125415

[Niko]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

http://www.thailandmaps.net/nakhonsawan/nakhonsawan.html

[Niko]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Bird flu strikes again in northern Thailand
24 Jan 2008 05:24:04 GMT
<!-- 24 Jan 2008 05:24:04 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove --> Source: Reuters

<!-- AN5.0 article title end -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.alertnet.org/bin/js/article.js"></script><input value="13" name="CurrentSize" id="CurrentSize" type="hidden"><!-- Bird flu strikes again in northern Thailand --><!-- Reuters --> BANGKOK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The H5N1 bird flu virus has re-emerged in a northern Thai province for the first time since March last year, forcing the slaughter of 10,000 chickens, an Agriculture Ministry official said on Thursday. The outbreak occurred on a farm in Nakhon Sawan, 240 km (149 miles) north of Bangkok, where the owner reported 4,085 chickens had died earlier this month, senior Livestock Department official Nirundorn Aungtragoolsuk told Reuters. "The H5N1 virus was found on the farm and we have culled the rest of them," he said of the birds slaughtered in one of four closed chicken houses on the farm. The others house 45,000 chickens which had shown no signs of the deadly avian influenza virus, he said. The virus last reappeared in northern Thailand in March 2007, but there have been no new reports of human infections in the country, where the virus has killed 17 people since 2003.
**snipped**

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BKK132293.htm

[Niko]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Typo? H1N1 noted in article

<table class="main" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>

New bird flu outbreak found in N Thailand

</td></tr><tr><td>
</td></tr><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr><tr> <td> BANGKOK, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- A new bird flu outbreak has been detected at a farm in Thailand's lower northern province Nakhon Sawan, Thai livestock officials said Thursday.

Thailand's Livestock Development Department director-general Sakchai Sriboonsue said the laboratory found the virus H1N1 in the dead chicken samples from a farm in Chumsaeng district, Nakhon Sawan on Jan. 22.

More than 4,000 chickens died suspiciously on Jan. 18 at the Sri Thai Farm and the farm owner informed local animal husbandry officials to collect samples of dead chickens for lab tests.

A lab test conducted in nearby province Phitsanulok confirmed the presence of the H1N1 virus in the dead chickens.

Nearly 10,000 chickens at the farm were culled on Jan. 22 and disinfectant was sprayed throughout nearby areas.

Officials have now ordered a quarantine of all avian livestock and requested the blanket disinfection of all poultry farms in the area within a five-kilometer radius of the infected farm. Consumers were also warned to ingest only properly cooked chicken meat.

Thailand has been among the countries hardest hit by the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.
</td></tr></tbody></table>

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/24/content_7486740.htm

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

OIE-report:

http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6709

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

2nd outbreak reported this week.

Thailand reports new bird flu outbreak


www.chinaview.cn 2008-01-25

BANGKOK, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A new bird flu outbreak has been detected in Thailand's northern province of Phichit, but no human infection was found by far, Thai livestock officials said Friday.

Laboratory tests showed samples from villagers in Sak Lek district to have the H5N1 virus, said Thailand's Livestock Development Department under the Agriculture Ministry.

According to the announcement of the department, about 30 chicken in Phichit have already died.

This is the second bird flu outbreak in Thailand this year. Thefirst outbreak was confirmed on Thursday in lower northern Nakhon Sawan Province, which borders Phichit.

Early Friday, Sakchai Sriboonsue, director-general of the department, said Nakhon Sawan was immediately declared a bird flu outbreak zone after the outbreak. All poultry movements are banned without official permission.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of chickens in district found the virus in Nakhon Sawan were culled and disinfectant was sprayed throughout nearby areas.

Bird flu outbreaks have plagued Thailand during the past years. The most recent big outbreak was reported in March 2007 in northeastern province of Mukdahan bordering Laos.

Last September, Phichit also reported detection of the H5N1 virus that killed dozens of chickens raised by a villager.

The latest wave of bird flu outbreaks in Thailand since 2004 has seen 25 people infected with the deadly H5N1 virus, 17 of whom died.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/25/content_7496059.htm

[HenryN]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Second bird flu outbreak reported in Thailand after 10 months



2008-01-25 12:06:41 -


BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A new bird flu outbreak has killed 30 chickens in northern Thailand, the second reported in two days, a livestock official said Friday.
The outbreak was confirmed by laboratory tests after the poultry deaths were reported a week ago in Saklek district of Phichit province, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of the capital, Bangkok, said Pisanu Tulyawanich, head of the province's livestock department.
The birds were infected with the H5 strain of bird flu and tests were under way to determine whether it was the virulent H5N1 subtype, he said.
About 100 free-range chickens being raised in the area have already been killed, Pisanu said.
On Thursday, lab tests confirmed the H5N1 virus killed 400 chickens in central Thailand, the first such outbreak since March 18, 2007, when about 50 ducks and chickens were found dead in northeastern Thailand.
<!--APPIC-->Bird flu remains hard for people to catch, but health experts worry the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been linked to contact with infected birds. At least 221 people have died worldwide from the virus, according to the World Health Organization.

http://www.pr-inside.com/print404702.htm<!-- COM9_20080125110234393.txt -->

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

OIE-report:

http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6718

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

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.

Published on January 27, 2008

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

http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/27/national/national_30063544.php

[HenryN]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Updated map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&om=0&t=h&ll=16.720385,101.271973&spn=4.481259,7.097168&z=7&msid=106484775090296685271.000444a510b29e381fcff

[HenryN]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Movement of poultry to be controlled after bird flu case

Phichit, nearby provinces targetted

<!--img--><!--/img--><!--AD5 Google--><TABLE height=280 cellPadding=5 width=336 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD><SCRIPT type=text/javascript><!--google_ad_client = "pub-3070849023962414";google_ad_width = 336;google_ad_height = 280;google_ad_format = "336x280_as";google_ad_type = "text_image";google_ad_channel ="";google_color_border = "FFFFFF";google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";google_color_link = "940F04";google_color_url = "111111";google_color_text = "111111";//--></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--END AD5 Google-->
By Sithipot Kaybooy Achadtaya Chuenniran




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.

An urgent high-level meeting to combat the spread of the virus was convened yesterday in Phichit, headed by governor Preecha Ruengchan. The meeting was attended by Dr Prajak, livestock office representatives as well as administrative officials from 12 districts.

The outbreak in Phichit was detected in Ban Tha Pikul of Sak Lek sub-district on Friday and chickens within a five-kilometre radius of the flu epicentre were destroyed.

The village also borders Bang Krathum district of Phitsanulok.

Dr Prajak said public health officials were keeping a close watch on the four families living in the outbreak area. Doctors take their temperatures regularly. They will be given the antiviral drug Tamiflu at the first sign of fever and taken to an isolated ward in a hospital designated for bird flu patients.

In the northeastern province of Kalasin, authorities were waiting for the results of lab tests on the carcasses of chickens which died mysteriously in recent days in Kuchinarai district.

The province also threatened legal action against farms which moved their chickens without permission. More frequent transport of chickens and ducks is expected in the run-up to Chinese New Year next month.

Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said people living in and close to the areas where bird flu broke out would be given influenza vaccination shots if necessary.
All hospitals in Nakhon Sawan were fully prepared to treat patients suspected of contracting bird flu.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Jan2008_news04.php<!--/Content-->

[HenryN]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01260805/H5N1_Thailand_19.html

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

Treyfish

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.


An urgent high-level meeting to combat the spread of the virus was convened yesterday in Phichit, headed by governor Preecha Ruengchan. The meeting was attended by Dr Prajak, livestock office representatives as well as administrative officials from 12 districts.


The outbreak in Phichit was detected in Ban Tha Pikul of Sak Lek sub-district on Friday and chickens within a five-kilometre radius of the flu epicentre were destroyed.


The village also borders Bang Krathum district of Phitsanulok.


Dr Prajak said public health officials were keeping a close watch on the four families living in the outbreak area. Doctors take their temperatures regularly. They will be given the antiviral drug Tamiflu at the first sign of fever and taken to an isolated ward in a hospital designated for bird flu patients.


In the northeastern province of Kalasin, authorities were waiting for the results of lab tests on the carcasses of chickens which died mysteriously in recent days in Kuchinarai district.


The province also threatened legal action against farms which moved their chickens without permission. More frequent transport of chickens and ducks is expected in the run-up to Chinese New Year next month.


Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said people living in and close to the areas where bird flu broke out would be given influenza vaccination shots if necessary.


All hospitals in Nakhon Sawan were fully prepared to treat patients suspected of contracting bird flu.

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

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Thailand confirms new bird flu outbreak

31 under close observation after contact with flu-infected poultry


The health of 31 people who have come into contact with bird flu-infected poultry will be closely monitored over the next two weeks, the Public Health Ministry said.

Thirteen people are being watched in Nakhon Sawan's Chumsaeng district and 18 in Phichit's Sak Lek sub-district, the sites of recent bird flu outbreaks.


Health permanent secretary Prat Boonyawongwirote said there was no reason to suspect the people under supervision had contracted the most powerful strain of the virus. They all appeared to be healthy and the observation was just a precaution.


He said health officials will keep a close watch on areas where poultry die mysteriously and areas where bird flu has been detected in the past.


Health officials were also told to monitor patients with influenza, lung infections and pneumonia at hospitals nationwide.


Thawat Suntaracharn, director of the Disease Control Department, said there had been no reports of anyone contracting the human form of the virus in over 17 months. A total of 25 people have been confirmed to have contracted the human form of avian influenza (H5N1) since 2004, of those 17 of the cases were fatal.


However, as a precaution, drug stores nationwide were asked to question customers who buy flu medicines about whether they have come into contact with poultry recently or if they had noticed any dead poultry in their areas, Mr Thawat said.


In Chiang Rai, livestock officials and customs officials have set up road blocks at border checkpoints in Mae Sai, Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong districts to control movements of poultry from neighbouring countries.


A bird flu control centre in Mae Sai district reported that poultry had died mysteriously in Kengtung province in Burma about 180km north of Mae Sai.


In Phichit's Sak Lek sub-district livestock officials and volunteers sprayed disinfectant in chicken and duck pens in Ban Tha Pikul where the bird flu outbreak was detected last week.


Some 15 other villages nearby have also been disinfected to protect against the possible spread of bird flu.


Phichit was declared a red zone for bird flu infections on Friday, just one day after bird flu was detected in Nakhon Sawan province.


In Phitsanulok, Methi Kate-adisorn, a provincial livestock official, said a close watch is being kept on areas bordering Nakhon Sawan and Phichit.


In Wang Thong district, livestock officials destroyed and buried 127 chickens in a temple after 23 chickens suddenly died at the temple. Carcasses of dead chickens have been sent for lab tests. Results will be released in the next eight days.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Jan2008_news09.php