1,500 rapid response units on bird flu watch standby

BANGKOK, Nov 16 (TNA) - Thailand's Minister of Public Health Witthaya Kaewparadai on Monday instructed provincial health chiefs to prepare local rapid response units to monitor the bird flu situation amid concerns of the re-emergence of bird flu outbreaks following the death of a thousand ducks in the central province of Suphan Buri.

About one thousand ducks were found dead of unknown causes in Suan Taeng sub-district of the Suphan Buri provincial seat on Friday. Government veterinary workers destroyed the rest of the ducks in the flock to prevent a possible outbreak of influenza and are now awaiting for laboratory test results from Kasetsart University.

Mr Witthaya said he has instructed provincial health officials nationwide to monitor bird flu in the human population and to keep publicising bird flu prevention advice to local residents, while urging hospitals to separate patients with flu-like symptoms from other patients.

The minister said that provincial health officials have been assigned to standby with their 1,500 rapid response units. If any suspected patients are found, the rapid response unit, together with animal husbandry officials will immediately move to inspect and control the spread of the disease wherever the outbreak.

Public Health Ministry Deputy Permanent-Secretary Dr Paichit Varachit said that although Thailand has had no report of new patients contracting bird flu for about three years, the ministry has closely monitored the situation, while hospitals have been informed to pay attention to all patients with flu-like symptoms and report the data to the Bureau of Epidemiology on a daily basis.

Director-General Dr Manit Theeratantikanont of the Disease Control Department said that according to the reports from doctors and expert observers following the bird flu situation, the lower northern and central provinces must be more closely monitored as bird flu patients were previously found in Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Uthai Thani, Kanchanaburi and Suphan Buri.

Dr Manit urged local residents to help keep close watch on the situation and inform concerned officials or health volunteers if any wildfowl or domestic fowl is found dead from unknown reason. (TNA)