January 20, 2005

 

 

Thailand adopts stricter bird flu preventive measures near border to Vietnam

 

Thailand has urged Vietnam to swiftly prevent the spread of bird flu across the border and offered assistance to fight the deadly virus.

 

Deputy Public Heath Minister Dr. Suchai Charoenrattanakul expressed concern after five Vietnamese have died from bird flu in the past weeks.

 

He said Thailand has tightened its strict monitoring for the virus after Vietnam has reported a current outbreak.

 

''If our neighbor is still plagued with the virus, Thailand is not safe. We call for Vietnam to urgently control the spread,'' said Dr. Suchai.

 

Thailand has seen the spread of bird flu in its poultry twice last year, which prompted the government to cull over 50 millions of chicken.

 

About a dozen Thais involved in poultry farms were infected with the bird flu and died.

 

The situation is worse in Vietnam where 25 nationals have been killed by the virus.

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, said the spread of bird flu in Vietnam has been worrisome, as it could cross border to Thailand via duck and chicken trade in border markets.

 

He said Thailand has tightened up its border areas near Vietnam and dispatched teams of livestock and disease control officials to monitor for movements of poultry to prevent imports of fowls from Vietnam into its territory.

 

''We are not discriminating, but these are measures to prevent the spread of bird flu virus across the border. They are additional to our strict procedures put in place earlier,'' said Dr. Thawat.

 

According to Dr. Charal Trinvuthipong, head of the government's operational center on bird flu, international cooperation is needed, as bird flu has become a cross border epidemic.

 

''Internal network against bird flu is no longer enough because the virus spreads quickly and without border,'' he said.

 

''If possible, we want Vietnam to send its epidemiologists to Thailand to see and exchange information on surveillance and prevention measures against the spread of the virus,'' he said.