August 23, 2004

Thailand Takes Steps To Avoid Bird Flu Mutation
 

The Thai government warned producers to rear swine and poultry separately so as to avoid possible mutation of the avian influenza virus, local press reported on Monday.

Though there has never been a confirmed case of swine infection with the bird flu virus strain of H5N1, the Public Health Ministry sounded the requirement as a precaution.

Thailand has been hit by two waves of bird flu since the beginning of this year. The outbreaks left eight people dead and more than US$880 million loss to the kingdom's poultry industry.

As of Saturday, there had been a total of 39 patients under observation as suspected victims of human bird flu, none turned out to be a confirmed case as yet, acting Public Health Permanent Secretary Charal Trinvuthipong was quoted by newspaper The Nation as saying.

In early August, a dozen pigs in the northern province of Kampaengpetch died of unknown causes and showed symptoms of coughing, breathing difficulty and swollen eyes, according to the state-run Thai News Agency (TNA).

TNA also reported that eight chickens on the same farm had died of bird flu earlier this year.

Charal stressed that there has never been a confirmed case of swine infection with the deadly viral strain H5N1.

Meanwhile, the southern Satun province's Governor Anondh Phromnart was quoted as saying that the province was testing poultry from Malaysia following reports that bird flu was spreading there.