Thai Bird Flu Patient Thought to Be Infected Through Wild Birds

Text of report by Apinya Wipatayotin, published in English by Thai newspaper Bangkok Post website on 2 November

The country’s 20th bird flu patient, a 50-year-old woman, was probably infected with the H5N1 virus from cooking and eating wild birds at her home in Nonthaburi province, a local health officer said yesterday. His opinion was based on a lengthy interview with the patient, whose name is being withheld, and her husband.

It was at odds with Deputy Health Minister Anuthin Charnveerakul’s assertion the woman caught the virus while cleaning out chicken droppings at her husband’s fighting cock farm in Bang Bua Thong district.

The husband told the officer that last week he and his wife killed and cooked wild doves for dinner. After returning to Bangkok, his wife became sick and went to Siriraj Hospital on 29 October.

He said he had been raising more than 30 roosters in his backyard farm for six years. He also caught wild birds for sale and for food. His cocks became sick and died last month after he placed several wild birds in a cage close to their pen.

Dr Ruengpung Sutthent, who is in charge of the sick women’s treatment, said her condition was improving because she had been prescribed the anti-viral drug oseltamivir, sold as Tamiflu, at an early stage of her illness.

“When the patient came to the hospital the first time, she told us right away that she might be infected with the avian flu virus. We immediately checked her lungs and found traces of bird flu infection. “This shows that the patient has a good knowledge of avian flu’s symptoms, which eventually helped saved her life,” Dr Ruengpung said.

The woman is the third victim of H5N1 avian flu since the current outbreak started in July and the 20th overall.

Livestock Development Department chief Yukol Limlamthong said the cause of the woman’s infection was unclear. Livestock and health officers were working against the clock to identify it.

Poultry movements in the affected area had been banned to prevent the virus spreading. Doctors were closely monitoring the health of relatives and the husband had been treated with Tamiflu.

Medical Sciences Department chief Paijit Warachit said that the public had become more alert to disease judging by the increasing number of samples sent in for testing – up from 66 in the first half of last month to almost 400 over the past two weeks.

Bang Bua Thong district chief Surapong Maiyawong said local residents were still at risk of infection as there were up to 100,000 free-range ducks in the district, although they were kept in contained areas.

Officers had been unable to destroy some ducks due to protests from owners.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan confirmed fresh outbreaks in three poultry farms in Sam Chuk district of Suphan Buri Province, bringing the total number of infected areas to 14 in six provinces – Chachoengsao, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Nonthaburi and Suphan Buri.

New Public Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat said he would call a meeting tomorrow of doctors and health workers from 33 provinces where avian flu had recurred to discuss strengthening the bird flu control operation.