May 6, 2005

Thailand now free of bird flu

Thailand has been declared free of avian influenza for the first time since the second outbreak of the virus in July of last year. In addition, no new bird flu patients have been reported since last October.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will remain vigilant for any re-emergence of the H5N1 virus, and has recruited 600 employees to be deployed to the eight northern and central provinces where the disease had kept resurfacing. They are Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Kampheng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri and Uttaradit provinces.

Improvements to fowl raising methods for small farmers have also been proposed. These include encouraging farmers to raise their poultry together in closed system farms to reduce the chance of fowl infection.