Teen in Thailand dies from bird flu caught from fighting cockrel

Jul 27 2006

A teenage boy has become the first victim in over seven months to die of bird flu in Thailand.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the 17-year-old from Phetchabun province, who died on Monday, was infected with bird flu.

Since the virus re-emerged in 2003 it is known to have killed 134 people, infected 232 others and millions of birds have died or have been culled.

In Thailand, of the 23 confirmed cases 15 have been fatal.

Health authorities in Thailand are insisting they have the outbreak under control but a high alert is in place and authorities yesterday confirmed a new outbreak of the H5N1 strain of the virus in the neighboring province of Pichit.

The teenager apparently caught the virus from a fighting cock which became sick and he died a week after first visiting a doctor.

He did not report the death of the bird because he feared all his birds would be slaughtered.

Although the boy lived in neighboring Pichit province Thai authorities have confirmed he was not living on the farm where the latest outbreak has occurred.

All movements of poultry in Pichit have been restricted and 20 veterinarians from Bangkok have been sent to the area to contain the outbreak.

Seven other provinces are also on high alert and three of the boy's relatives are under surveillance for any symptoms of the virus.

A complete ban on cock fighting has been imposed in both Pichit and Phitsanulok provinces.

Thai authorities remain firm in their determination to completely eradicate the disease within three years, and are urging the population to fully cooperate with authorities by reporting suspicious deaths among their poultry.

The Thai Government are confident they can contain the outbreak and say they are more prepared now than ever before to deal with any outbreaks.

Thailand which came under heavy criticism for it's slow response to the first outbreak of bird flu in 2003, is now considered one of the countries best-prepared to battle the disease.

Thailand has stockpiled 1.5 million capsules of the anti-viral drug oseltamvir, a generic version of the drug Tamiflu, which it began producing this year and has mobilized 900,000 health volunteers to monitor for the virus and to educate farmers about how to prevent it.

Another casualty of the latest outbreak is the chief livestock officer for the two provinces who has been accused of failing to report the latest outbreak of bird flu.

He was transferred following the visit of a senior health minister to the province after the teenager was confirmed to have died from bird flu, but he has denied the allegations.

The H5N1 virus remains mainly a virus of birds, and almost all human cases have been traced to direct or indirect contact with infected birds.

Experts fear it could change into a form easily transmitted from person to person and sweep the world, killing millions within a short period.