Thailand Delays Declaring Victory Over Bird Flu

Thailand backed away from declaring victory over bird flu on Friday, saying it need until April 27 to ensure the deadly virus was fully under control.

Thailand backed away from declaring victory over bird flu on Friday, saying it need until April 27 to ensure the deadly virus was fully under control. The Agriculture Ministry had planned to announce on Friday the avian flu epidemic was finally over after it killed eight people and forced the culling of about 35 million chickens. “If we don’t see a new outbreak by April 27, Thailand will be totally free of bird flu,” said Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob. Vietnam declared on March 30 that it had stamped out the avian flu, which killed 16 people in the country. Minister Newin told reporters Thai health officials would observe chickens in southeast Chonburi and northeast Khon Kaen provinces for another 20 days to ensure no new bird flu cases emerged. He said the two areas were the last of 41 previously infected Thai provinces which still could not be certified as free of the disease.(Source: Reuters Health, April 2004)