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Published on February 6, 2008

Dr Paijit Warachit, the Health Ministry's deputy permanent secretary, said that after the bird-flu outbreaks in Phichit's Sak Lek and Chum Saeng districts in late January, 31 people who had contact with the fowls were put on a 14-day watch, but none had shown any symptoms yet.

Health officials also carried out door-to-door visits on a daily basis to ensure there were no more bird-flu cases in either poultry or humans.

Paijit also warned the public not to panic about the news that thousands of open-bill storks have been found dead in Nakhonchai Bovorn Park in Phichit's Pho Thale district, but he called for caution. He urged people, especially children, to avoid playing in water where wild birds gathered and to avoid touching sick birds or chickens.

Paijit also said that from 2003 to February 1, 2008, of the 357 confirmed bird-flu patients, 225 had died in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Turkey, Vietnam, Nigeria, Burma, Pakistan and Thailand. This year two countries had confirmed bird-flu patients - seven in Indonesia and one in Vietnam.  All seven died later.

The Nation