# 2878
We don't often get much in the way of news out of Myanmar, also known as Burma, as that country is tightly ruled by a strict military dictatorship.
The ruling military junta has often been accused of human rights violations and very effectively suppresses news coming into, and going out of the country.
We have heard occasional reports of bird flu outbreaks coming out of Myanmar - sometimes through official channels, but usually just rumors.
- Recently the UN urged Thailand to step up monitoring for bird flu among refugees along their border with Myanmar (see Thailand: Urged To Monitor Migrant Camps For Bird Flu).
- In November of 2008, Laotian Provinces bordering Myanmar reported outbreaks of bird flu (see Laos: Bird Flu Outbreak In Poultry).
- And in November of 2007 there were reports of multiple outbreaks of bird flu in the Shan State that reporters claimed were being covered up by the government (see Report: Authorities Concealing Outbreaks In Myanmar).
- Shortly thereafter, authorities announced their first human infection in Myanmar, that of a 7-year-old female from Kyaing Tone Township, Shan State. This patient recovered.
Today we get a report from The Democratic Voice of Burma, which is a non-profit dissident news organization made up of Burmese expatriates, located in Oslo, Norway.
The DVB has been in operation since 1992, is funded by a number of well known NGO's, and broadcasts programming into Myanmar via shortwave radio.
Carol@SC at the Flu Wiki brings us this report from the DVB website. It alleges that bird flu has broken out near Mandalay, and that authorities have burned several chicken farms.
Reports such as these are very difficult to confirm, and the vague reference of the `spread to humans' needs to be taken with a sizable grain of salt.
With that caveat in place, however, here is the report from DVB.
Quail and chicken sales banned over fear of bird flu
Mar 9, 2009 (DVB)–Authorities in southwest Mandalay have imposed a ban on the sales of quails and chickens following fears of a bird flu outbreak, local residents said.
"Authorities told people to stop selling quail eggs and roast quails," a resident said.
"At markets near our place, such as Mingala market, no chicken is allowed to be sold," he added.
Although the authorities didn't comment on why the ban was imposed, local residents say that local media reported the destruction of a quail farm at the end of February because the birds were suffering from influenza.
Another resident said there have been various outbreaks of bird flu, some of which have spread to humans, and the authorities ordered the burning of a number of chicken farms in southwest Mandalay township.
Reporting by Nan Kham Kaew
