Bangkok toddler confirmed as bird flu victim

A Bangkok toddler has tested positive for bird flu, a senior official said on Saturday, the first human case in the Thai capital since a fresh flare-up of the deadly disease a month ago.

The one-year-old boy probably contracted the H5N1 virus from playing near chickens at his home which later died of the virus, said Paijit Warachit, director-general of the Department of Medical Science.
His grandmother was under surveillance.

าThe boy is confirmed as definitely having H5N1,ำ Paijit told Reuters. าAs for his grandmother, we have to keep close watch on her, just to be safe.ำ
The virus - which has killed 13 Thais since it swept across large parts of Asia in late 2003 - has re-emerged in 10 of Thailandีs 76 provinces, mainly in central areas, since the beginning of last month.

Three provinces were later declared free of the disease after a 21-day surveillance period.

Despite the spread of the virus to Bangkok, the new outbreaks remain far fewer than at the same time last year, when 44 of Thailandีs 76 provinces reported bird flu cases.

In a bid to curb bird fluีs spread, the government has imposed strict measures such as restricting movements of fighting cocks and eliminating the traditional free-range method of raising fowl.

But officials have faced some stiff resistance from owners who claim the new restrictions mean higher costs for them.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus is endemic in poultry across Asia, where it is known to have infected 124 people and killed 64.

Although the H5N1 virus has yet to be transmitted between people, experts fear it could mutate into a strain that can move easily from person to person, touching off a pandemic that could kill millions.