August 7, 2006

200 chickens die of bird flu in Thailand 

More than 200 chickens at a farm in Thailand have died from bird flu in the same province where the virus was discovered 3 days earlier, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said Sunday (Aug 6).

Sudarat said Livestock Development Department officials had culled 116 chickens raised at 12 family farms near the victim's home.

The agriculture minister said some 200 chickens out of 20,000 raised on farms in Uthai Thani's provincial capital district died Sunday and that government workers would cull the rest of the poultry without waiting for laboratory tests.

Thailand is launching a week-long campaign Monday (Aug 7) in 29 provinces thought to be more at risk from bird flu. The campaign would include registration of all poultry.

The country has recorded 24 human cases (including 16 fatalities) since the outbreak in 2004.

Uthai Thani province in Thailand (picture courtesy of wikipedia.com)