March 12, 2004

Thailand Confirms New Bird Flu Case
 
Thai authorities confirmed newspaper reports that a new case of bird flu has been discovered just days after the country declared itself bird flu free.
 
Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob said a laboratory test confirmed the presence of bird flu in a sample taken in Chiang Rai province, 422 miles north of Bangkok.
 
The test results were dated Feb. 26, one day after the date on which Thai officials earlier this week said that testing had failed to turn up any new cases nationwide.
 
An official announcement that the country was free of the virus had been expected after a three-week waiting and observation period ending March 17.
 
Newin didn't explain why the results of the Feb. 26 test hadn't been announced earlier.