# 324
This story has been evolving for a couple of days. At first there were reports of a die off of birds at a duck farm in Northern Thailand. On Monday, it was reported that two farm workers had dissappeared from the duck farm after the virus had been detected, and a search was in progress for them. Three others who lived on the farm, it was reported, were under `observation'.
Now we get this report from the Bangkok Post.
Phitsanulok family may have bird flu
bangkokpost.com
Four members of a family in Phitsanulok are suspected to be infected with H5N1 avian flu after they ate a dead duck from their farm.
Dr Thawatchai Kamoltham, the Phitsanulok provincial health chief, said Thursday that health authorities had declared the family's duck farm in Tambon Tortae, Wat Bot district, off-limits for two weeks as a precaution. About 600 ducks on the farm have been slaughtered, he said.
The farm also has about 30 pigs which may have contracted H5N1 bird flu.
He disclosed that there are many flocks of free range ducks within a kilometre of the farm which need to be closely monitored.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health has instructed all provincial health officials to keep close watch on bird flu outbreak in their respective provinces now and in the next two months. Influenza is a greater risk during the cool months.
This report is in the Breaking News section of the online edition of the Bangkok Post. No details as to the condition of the family are given.
The reference to the possible infection of the pigs on the farm is interesting, and we'll have to wait to see if this was speculation, or is backed up by testing.
Pigs are known to be susceptible to human and avian influenza viruses, and there are concerns that they could become `mixing vessels', where the H5N1 virus, and a human influenza could swap genetic material, and create a more easily transmissible hybrid flu.
In any event, we can add Thailand to the hotspot watch list which currently includes Egypt and Indonesia.
