January 28, 2008

Thailand reports second bird flu case of the year

Thailand has reported a second case of bird flu outbreak barely a week after its first case in ten months.

The new outbreak was in Thailand's northern province of Phichit, Thai livestock officials said Friday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

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

According to the announcement, about 30 chickens in Phichit have already died.

This is the second bird flu outbreak in Thailand this year. The first outbreak was confirmed on Thursday in lower northern Nakhon Sawan Province, which later saw thousands of chickens culled.

Officials have said the bird flu outbreaks are unlikely to affect chicken exports as Thailand now exports cooked chickens. However, the nation is currently negotiating exports of fresh chicken to Japan and the outbreaks could scuttle the talks.