Thailand's bird flu-free status ends

Thailand's eight-month bird flu-free status has ended with the Agriculture & Coopeatives Ministry confirming a fresh outbreak of H5NI virus in the northern province of Phichit on the 24 July.

The Department of Livestock Development (DLD) laboratory detected the bird flu in a fighting cock carcass from Bang Mun Nak district, where 300 fowls had been culled after the "mysterious" death of 30 fighting cocks and free-range chickens.

Nirundorn Aungtragoolsuk, director of DLD's Disease Control Bureau says the virus is unlikely to spread since all the poultry in the infected area have been culled, the borders have been sealed and a total movement ban on poultry has been imposed.

The Public Health Ministry has reported that an 11-year old boy from Phichit has been listed as the latest suspected bird flu case.

Editor WorldPoultry