Bird Flu Spreads to Seventh Thai Province

East Asia / Pacific - Thailand
2 Nov 2005 - Radio Australia

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Thailand has confirmed an outbreak of bird flu in the central province of Ang Thong, the seventh province to be hit by the disease.

The Department of Livestock says laboratory results confirm that chickens and pigeons in the province have been infected with the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu.

The H5N1 virus has killed 13 Thais and more than 40 people in three other Asian countries since late 2003.

The World Health Organisation says the H5N1 strain is endemic in poultry across much of Asia.

All human cases of the virus have been transmitted by infected birds, but the UN health agency says H5N1 could develop the ability to pass easily from human to human, triggering a pandemic that could kill millions.

Southeast Asian leaders discuss bird flu threat

Thailand is currently hosting a meeting of regional leaders to discuss measures to prevent a human flu pandemic.

Our correspondent in Bangkok, Peter Lloyd, says the talks involve prime ministers from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon says the two-day meeting will concentrate on information-sharing, public education and joint research.

The Thais will propose a mass-vaccinating program using current stocks of the flu vaccine.

Six other nations, including Australia, New Zealand and Singapore are attending the meeting.

China halt poultry imports

Meanwhile, China has banned imports of poultry products from 14 countries in an attempt to protect itself from the bird flu threat.

The state-run Beijing News says the ban took effect on Tuesday and will stay in force until further notice from the government.

It targets eight Asian countries - Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Japan, North Korea, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Poultry products from Romania, South Africa, Turkey, Russia and Sweden have also been banned.

China reported three outbreaks of avian flu in birds last week, in the northern region of Inner Mongolia and in the provinces of Anhui and Hunan.

The agriculture ministry says there have been no human cases of the virus in China.

Copyright 2005 Radio Australia.