Slim chance of avian flu coming to Thailand from US: DDC

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) said that though the chance of H5N1 virus spreading to Thailand from the United States is very low, it will monitor the situation closely.

DDC director-general Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn said on Monday that DDC is keeping a close eye on events after learning that two dairy workers in the US state of Texas had caught H5N1 or avian influenza A virus from infected dairy cows.

He said the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the second dairy worker had contracted the virus after the first case was detected in April 1.

They are the first two humans to catch the virus from animals, so it proves that mammals too can spread the virus to humans apart from birds.

Thongchai said the H5N1 virus was first detected in humans in Thailand in 2004. He said since Thailand does not import dairy cows from the US, the chance of the virus spreading through American cows was very low.

Despite this, he said, the DDC will not lower its guard against the spread of avian flu and will continue monitoring the situatoin by cooperating with the Livestock Development Department and the CDC in the US.

DDC director-general Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn

Thongchai added that DDC officials at all immigration checkpoints will monitor people travelling from foreign countries for possible H5N1 infections.

The DDC will also coordinate with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to prevent the spread of the virus from wild birds to humans, Thongchai added.

Separately, DDC deputy director-general Dr Apichart Wachiraphan advised Thais to protect themselves against the virus by avoiding touching dead birds, especially chickens.

He said Thais need to be watchful, especially since there are H5N1 outbreaks in neighbouring countries often.

He also warned people against consuming fowl that have died on their own. He said the Livestock Development Department should be contacted right away if people detect suspicious deaths of birds.

Apichart also advised people to wash their hands if they touch dead birds and immediately see the doctor if they develop a fever.