July 13, 2004

No Fish Infected With Avian Flu In Thailand

Fish and other marine lives are safe from bird flu, the Director-General of the Department of Fisheries in Thailand Mr. Sitdhi Boonyaratpalin has confirmed.

Mr. Sitdhi told journalists here yesterday that the Department of Fisheries had monitored the development of the fresh outbreak of bird flu, and had sent experts to inspect fish ponds in areas where affected chicken farms are located.

The fish in the areas showed no sign of having been affected by the avian flu, he affirmed.

"The avian flu virus, typed A, found in Thailand can only spread among poultry through the respiratory and digestive systems. The bird flu virus cannot be spread from poultry to fish and other marine lives", he disclosed.

"There have never been reports in any countries that fish and marine lives were infected with avian flu", he added.

Mr. Sidthi made the confirmation in response to media reports that some consumers had feared that fish and marine lives could have been infected with the avian flu from chicken food.