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Bird flu reappears
11/03/2004 20:30 - (SA)
Bangkok - A new outbreak of bird flu has been discovered in Thailand, and more than 100 chickens were found dead in Japan, where initial tests came up negative for the disease, authorities said on Thursday.
In Thailand, Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob said a laboratory test confirmed the presence of bird flu in chicken in Chiang Rai province, 680km north of the capital, Bangkok.
The results were dated February 26. Newin did not say how many samples were taken or why it took so long to announce the results.
Thailand declared itself free of bird flu on Monday, saying no active cases had been reported in poultry since February 25. It was not immediately clear if the government would rescind that announcement or postpone plans to resume chicken breeding in affected areas next month.
On Wednesday, two Thai newspapers said the virus may have reappeared, citing laboratory tests and farmers' accounts, causing Newin to order an investigation by the livestock department.
The government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied for weeks that bird flu was spreading in the country before acknowledging an outbreak on January 23.
Newin said on Thursday that farmers in Chiang Rai had reported the dying chickens to the livestock department, and were dissatisfied when its tests showed negative for the virus.
The samples were then sent to Kasetsart University, the country's leading agricultural research institute, which confirmed the chickens had the virulent H5N1 strain of the disease, which has hit eight Asian countries and territories.
Newin said he was sceptical about the source of the new outbreak, citing several unconfirmed reports of farmers having infected their own chickens to gain compensation. He said the matter would be investigated.
In Japan, authorities in the southern state of Fukuoka were investigating the possibility of a new case after a poultry farm there reported that 126 chickens had died overnight.
Initial tests on some of the animals were all negative, the state said in a brief statement. Kyodo News service quoted unnamed officials as saying they suspected the birds may have died of heat stroke.
- SAPA
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