Bird Flu Re-emerges in North

BANGKOK, Jan 15 (TNA) - A Thai government official has confirmed that the H5N1 avian influenza virus was found last week in two duck samples from the northern Phitsanulok province, worrying officials across the region as revived activity is reported in four other Asian countries.

The Thai finding follows reports of four human bird flu fatalities last week in Indonesia, a human case in China (in which the patient recovered), and new outbreaks in southern Vietnam and Japan.

Nirandorn Uangtrakulsuk, Director of the Bureau of Disease Control Veterinary Service said the lab tests confirmed that two duck samples from the provincial seat in Phitsanulok, 377 kilometers north of Bangkok, tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

He said he ordered the culling of a flock of 2,100 ducks on January 12 after the report of suspicious deaths of some fowls on January 10.

The discovery of bird flu in ducks in the province will be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health or the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), he said.

The cause of the infection of the bird flu in ducks in that area is still unknown but a large number of wild birds frequent the area, he added.

The area will be declared a 30-day watch area and officials will collect samples from poultry within a radius of five kilometres.

Meanwhile, Disease Control Department director-general Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn warned the public to keep surveillance on a possible new outbreak of bird flu following the latest H5N1 virus detection.

He said random checks last month also found the same virus in birds in Suphan Buri, some 170 kilometres from Bangkok.

Thailand is among the countries most affected by the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, recording 25 human cases, 17 of them fatal, since the most recent outbreak here in 2004. (TNA)-E004

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