July 13, 2004

Thailand Confirms Two More Bird Flu Cases
 

Thailand confirmed two more outbreaks of bird flu on Monday at farms in Phathum Thani province, just north of Bangkok. However it was not known if they are the virulent H5N1 strain that can kill humans.

Last week, outbreaks of the H5N1 bird flu virus were found in two central provinces, ending Thai hopes that the avian flu outbreak that had ravaged poultry farms across Asia earlier this year had been eradicated.

"Bird flu is confirmed in two more farms in Phathum Thani province," Yukol Limlaemthong, head of the Agriculture Ministry's Livestock Department, revealed.

A total of 10,300 chickens have been killed in an attempt to contain the outbreak, he said. Over the weekend, Thailand found bird flu virus in several farms in the northern provinces of Uttaradit and Sukothai.