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Thai people warned of bird flu in winter

People in Thailand are warned of possible bird flu outbreak as winter provides ideal conditions for flu virus.
People in Thailand are warned of possible bird flu outbreak as winter provides ideal conditions for flu virus.

TheThai Ministry of Public Health has advised people to seek medicaltreatment if they have any flu-like symptoms after eating or touchingsick poultry. The warning came after the H5N8 virus was found in achicken farm in the Netherlands.

Permanent Secretary forPublic Health Narong Sahamethapat said only H5N1 flu virus strain wasdiscovered in Thailand six years ago, cautioning that even thoughthere are no reports of patients with bird flu, migratory birds andcolder weather could bring the virus to the country.

Peopleliving near the border should pay extra attention as deadly flu caseswere still found in such neighbouring countries as Cambodia,Indonesia and Vietnam.

The Department of DiseaseControl and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have beeninstructed to monitor border communities, especially in provinces wherethe avian flu was once detected.

People are encouraged to call a24-hour hotline at 1422 for advice on medical treatment or to report tothe authorities if sick birds or humans are found.-VNA
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