The
European Union has joined Japan in banning imports of Thai
poultry amid growing international alarm over the spread of
bird flu. Thailand has confirmed its first two cases of avian
flu in humans, and a Thai man tested for the virus has died.
Millions of birds have died or been culled across Asia.
Bird flu has affected poultry in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea
- and also Vietnam, where it has killed five people.
The World Health Organisation warned that the latest outbreak
could mutate and become more dangerous to humans.
Bird flu has been ravaging Asian flocks, but has so far only
jumped from birds to humans in a handful of cases.
A 56-year-old Thai chicken butcher - one of six people being
tested for bird flu in Thailand - died of pneumonia, Thai government
officials said.
Bangkok had already confirmed that two boys had contracted the
virus after touching carcasses of infected poultry - one boy
in Suphanburi and one in Kanchanaburi province.
-First
jumped "species barrier" from bird to human in 1997
-In humans, similar symptoms include fever, sore throat, and
cough
- Types known to infect humans are influenza A subtypes H5N1
and H9N2
The authorities say anyone suffering from fever and bronchitis
after having been in contact with poultry should seek urgent
medical attention.
Following the announcement, the European Union declared it was
banning poultry imports from Thailand, after Japan took a similar
step on Thursday.
The EU ban - on all poultry and poultry products slaughtered
after 1 January - takes immediate effect.
Imports of steamed poultry heated to 70 degrees C can continue
as this process kills the virus.
Chicken rearing is a major industry for Thailand, one of the
world's largest chicken exporters.
The two markets account for the majority of Thailand's annual
$1.3bn of chicken export earnings.
Earlier reports that Thailand was halting all chicken exports
were later denied by deputy agriculture minister Newin Chidchob.
'Growing threat'
The latest bird flu outbreak has been spreading across Asia
for weeks, but until Thailand's announcement, it was only known
to have jumped to humans in Vietnam.
BIRD
FLU TIMELINE
Nov
2003 - Thailand deals with what it calls chicken cholera
15 Dec - S Korea confirms bird flu outbreak
9 Jan 2004- UN sends help to Vietnam after bird flu outbreak
11 Jan - First of five Vietnamese deaths confirmed as bird
flu
13 Jan - Japan confirms bird flu outbreak
15 Jan - Taiwan announces different strain of bird flu
21 Jan - Laos reports suspected chicken cholera
23 Jan - Thailand confirms first human cases of bird flu
23 Jan - Cambodia detects first case in chickens
WHO spokesman Bob Dietz, speaking in Vietnam, said that it could
become more of a threat to humans as it spread because its form
may alter.
"It is impossible to predict a time or date for this, but there
are mounting opportunities for the virus to alter its form and
begin affecting the human population," Mr Dietz said.
The Lancet medical journal also issued a dire warning on Friday,
saying standard vaccines would be useless against the virus
if it started spreading through humans.
At present, there is no evidence to suggest it can be passed
on from one person to another.
Thailand's public health ministry issued the following advice
for people to protect themselves against the flu:
Eat chicken only when it is well cooked and only eat cooked
eggs
Anyone developing fever, muscular aches and severe respiratory
problems should report to health professionals
Farm workers should wash their hands thoroughly and anyone working
with poultry should wear masks and gloves
Different species of poultry should be separated and their coops
kept clean.
The
European Union has joined Japan in banning imports of Thai
poultry amid growing international alarm over the spread of
bird flu. Thailand has confirmed its first two cases of avian
flu in humans, and a Thai man tested for the virus has died.
