Public Health Ministry steps up measures to monitor bird flu

BANGKOK, Jan 25 (TNA) -- The Public Health Ministry has prepared measures to handle the spread of bird flu after the World Health Organisation (WHO) has signaled warning of the deadly avian influenza spreading in Europe and Asia. Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said the Ministry has hosted a meeting which focused on preparing an emergency plan to handle the bird flu epidemic. The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Public Health, in coordination with six border provinces with animal farms in Karnchanaburi, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Pathom, Nong Khai, Pitsanulok, and Nan, which was also attended by representatives from the WHO, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Dr Suwannachai stressed that although there have been no reports of any spreading of the influenza in the country in all strains, including the H5N1, H7N9, and H5N6, but the Ministry would like all sectors to cooperate with each other in monitoring the situation, particularly now that the Chinese New Year draws near. He said the Ministry of Public Health would observe the changes in humans, while asking for the public cooperation to promptly report in any unusual deaths of poultry to local offices of the Department of Livestock Development, as well as the local public health offices, in order to prevent the spreading of the deadly virus among the people at the same time. The deputy permanent secretary then said that all local clinics have been setting up separate rooms to quarantine patients showing signs of avian influenza as a precaution. He said the most worrisome area for the spreading of the virus is the central region, as it is the largest location in the country for animal farms, where most of the farms are open farms, making it hard to control the spreading of the disease among the animals. (TNA)