Thailand on bird flu alert after Cambodia death

The Health Department said it is monitoring for signs of the virus in Thailand after a child died of bird flu in eastern Cambodia. Department director-general Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai advised farmers, sellers and consumers of chicken and eggs to keep their guard up and observe disease prevention measures. On Thursday, virologist Anan Jongkaewwattana of the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology called on government health agencies to increase bird flu monitoring after an 11-year-old girl died of the disease in Prey Veng province, east of Phnom Penh, on Wednesday. Cambodia’s Health Ministry reported that the girl was diagnosed with H5N1 infection on Tuesday. Thai farmers have been told to immediately alert the Livestock Development Department if a batch of their foul die suspiciously. The farmers must not touch the dead foul or use them to feeds humans or animals, Anan said. Meanwhile markets that sell fresh chicken, duck or other foul must be cleaned ...