January 16, 2007

Bird flu outbreak reported in Thailand's ducks
 

A fresh outbreak of virulent bird flu has been found in ducks in northern Thailand, the first in almost six months, officials said Monday (Jan 15). 

The outbreak of the H5N1 virus was confirmed by laboratory tests after the deaths of more than 100 ducks was reported in Phitsanulok province, said Manet Runluang, an official at the Health Ministry's Department of Communicable Disease Control.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Vietnam, bird flu has spread to seven provinces since making a return from a one-year absence in December last year. Bird flu continues to spread in the nation's Mekong Delta, and authorities warn the disease could spread rapidly.

Sixty-six ducks died at a farm in Soc Trang province over the weekend, and tests confirmed they were infected with the H5N1 virus.