Thailand Internet TV

BANGKOK, Jan 25 (TNA) - Chickens in Thailand’s northern province of Phichit have died and samples tested found an H5 virus variant which indicated a strain of of avian influenza virus, but the close identiification could not be determined.

The outbreak occurred only one day after the potentially deadly virus was detected in dead poultry in nearby Nakhon Sawan province, the governor of Phichit said Friday.

Governor Preecha Ruangchan said the remaining poultry raised by villagers in Sak Lek district will be destroyed  to keep the possible outbreak of bird flu from spreading.

Mr. Preecha said samples of dead chickens were sent for lab tests in Phitsanulok, while the remaining poultry raised by villagers in Sak Lek district will be destroyed  to keep the possible outbreak of bird flu from spreading.

Checkpoints have been set up on provincial roads to prevent moving  birds without authorisation  from veterinarians, said Mr. Preecha. Disinfectants to contain the disease were also sprayed on all vehicles travelling between Bang Mun Nak and Chum Saeng districts.

Officials in several provinces, including Bangkok, are now on alert about the reemergence of the H5N1 virus, found in Nakhon Sawan although no human casualties were reported.

In Khlong Khlung district of the nearby province of Kamphaeng Phet and the central province of Uthai Thani, livestock and health workers on Friday renewed drills to help inform local residents regarding how to prevent and contain bird flu disease.

Villagers were told to report to the authorities immediately if chickens in their villages died without  causes  and how to destroy the birds properly.

The Nakhon Sawan governor met with officials to regarding the cause of deaths of chickens at a closed farm. More than 40,000 chickens at the farm which were to have been destroyed yesterday would be destroyed today instead  due to heavy rain in the area last night.

Senior Public Health Ministry officials, led by permanent secretary Praj Boonyawongvirot, Friday morning visited a hospital and the closed farm in Chum Saeng district .

Dr. Praj said the the health officials are closely monitoring 13 patients suspected of contracting bird flu. The monitoring willcontinue be made for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin told journalists that he had ordered officials to coordinate closely with Livestock Development Department authorities to monitor poultry which died mysteriously.

Mr. Apirak said some poultry is raised in several areas on the outskirts of the capital, but that no bird flu patients have beene reported in Bangkok recently.