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Published on February 1, 2008

These provinces include Nan, Udon Thani, Lampang, Sakon Nakhon, Phitsanulok, Surin, Nong Bua Lamphu, Chiang Rai, Lop Buri, Phetchabun and Si Sa Ket.

In Lop Buri's Khok Samrong district alone, more than 3,000 chickens died at one farm last month. "We are closely monitoring the situation," said Chatri Banchuin of the Medical Services Department yesterday.

Chatri said his department would hold a workshop today in Sukhothai to train health workers how to prevent and treat bird flu. Health workers from nine provinces are due to attend. "There will be a similar workshop in Bangkok on February 11," he said.

In Lop Buri, the Khok Samrong livestock chief Wirach Chinbut said officials had already sent samples of dead chickens, and swab specimens from live chickens from the farm where suspicious deaths of fowl were detected by laboratory tests. "We have banned any movement or transportation of chickens pending the test results," he said.

Wirach said the farm owner claimed the mortality rate at his chicken farm was higher than normal because of ventilation problems. "He said the ventilators had taken turns breaking down," Wirach said. "But we have to implement preventative measures first. We have the duty to curtail the spread of bird flu, if it breaks out."

He said 24 workers from the farm had already undergone a check-up but they showed no sign of bird-flu symptoms.

"We also checked chickens in the farm's neighbourhood and found they were all healthy," Wirach said, adding that officials would now spread disinfectant at chicken farms regularly to pre-empt the spread of bird flu.

The Nation