In Thailand, six additional suspected cases of bird flu have been reported due to contact with infected poultry. The first individual, whose initial tests returned positive for H5N1, is Thongpron Klompanya, a 39-year-old from Nakhon Pathom. He and his wife work at a duck farm where many birds died the previous weekend.
The man’s wife reported that he has been experiencing fever and headaches and has been hospitalized. In Kanchanaburi, a four-year-old girl with a fever is under medical supervision after a pigeon fell dead in her home under unclear circumstances. Additionally, a doctor at the hospital where she is being treated, Phahol Polphayuha-sena, noted that several other birds have died in the area where she lives.
Two other suspected cases are being treated in the hospital: a nine-year-old girl and a 48-year-old woman. Furthermore, yesterday, a three-year-old girl and a 71-year-old woman were admitted to Kamphaeng Phet Hospital with bird flu symptoms. Both patients reside in regions where birds have died.
The Thai Ministry of Health reported that there are currently 19 confirmed cases of avian influenza, with 13 fatalities recorded since December 2003 up until last weekend. According to The Nation, bird flu has now spread to 39 provinces in Thailand, which is more than half of the country, but only 21 provinces are under strict monitoring.
According to veterinary official Jatuporn Kamchuen from Phanom Thuan District in Kanchanaburi Province, some villagers in this province have resisted when officials attempted to cull infected animals. He urged the government to enhance public awareness regarding the issue. Last week, two residents from this province became the latest confirmed victims of bird flu in Thailand, one of whom has died.
THÙY LINH (According to The Nation)