May 31, 2004

Thailand's Chiang Mai Bird Flu Not Worrying

Thailand's new round of bird flu is not widespread, as it has been found only at Chiang Mai University's experimental farm, according to Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob.

He was quoted by the Thai News Agency Friday as saying that a number of chickens at the experimental farm had died, and their carcasses had already been destroyed.

After samples from the chickens' carcasses were tested positive to the avian flu, the area in a one-kilometer radius around the farm had been put under close monitoring, Newin noted.

He said that authorities had no concern about the return of bird flu in the northern province of Chiang Mai, as other farms were unaffected, unlike the outbreak early this year.

He also expected no impact on the country's exports of chicken meat.