Thailand reported a fresh case of bird flu, but officials said they had contained an outbreak of the deadly disease that killed eight Thais earlier this year.
The latest case of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which swept across many parts of Asia from late last year, was found in several dead chickens on a university research farm in the northern city of Chiang Mai last week.
“The lab test on samples from the dead chickens confirmed yesterday that they were Avian Influenza positive,” said Livestock Department chief Yukol Limlaemthong.
He said more than 1,000 chickens had been slaughtered to contain the outbreak, and the World Organization for Animal Health informed of the test results.
Thailand’s last outbreak of the H5N1 virus among chickens was reported on April 19, but authorities have said they must stay vigilant because the virus could persist.
Under standards set by the OIE, countries can claim to be free of avian flu six months after the last outbreak occurred, Thai officials say.
Bird flu killed millions of chickens across Asia and devastated poultry industries in several countries, including Thailand, the world’s number four chicken exporter.
It also killed 24 people, 16 in Vietnam and eight in Thailand.
Thailand has twice postponed declaring itself free of bird flu, while Vietnam said it was free in March only to see another outbreak of the virus on May 6.
