Thailand on alert against bird flu

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Wednesday 19 Nov 2014 - 10:04 Makkah mean time-26-1-1436 Bangkok (IINA) – Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has directed all its provincial offices to be on high alert against all strains of bird flu during the winter period particularly in border areas, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported. Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Narong Sahamethapat told reporters that the move was made in response to reports of an outbreak of H5N8 bird flu strain at a poultry farm in the Netherlands on November 17. Dr. Narong said a bird flu outbreak may re-emerge as birds are migrating from cold areas overseas to warmer areas in the country despite no bird flu cases being reported in Thailand since 2006. "Thailand remains at risk of a re-emergence of an avian flu outbreak especially the H5N1 strain because cases have been reported in neighboring countries," he said. No cases of H5N8 have been reported in Thailand so far. AB/IINA