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Human-to-human transmission ruled out in Thai flu death

Public health officials ruled out human-to-human transmission of bird flu in a seven-year-old boy whose father died of the disease last week, a senior Thai health official said yesterday, adding that the boy has fully recovered.

Ronarit Benphat no longer has a fever or lung infection, but doctors will be monitoring him for two more weeks, said Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn, who is director-general of the Department of Communicable Disease Control.

positive

"Because he's a positive H5N1 case, we probably have to quarantine him for the full 21 days, that is for two more weeks," Thawat said by telephone.

"He's in good condition. His condition is normal now, like any other person," Thawat added.

The boy and his father became ill with the H5N1 strain of bird flu after handling their neighbors' sick chickens.

The 48-year-old man died last Wednesday, becoming Thailand's 13th human fatality from bird flu, and the first in more than a year.

His son was later admitted into the hospital Oct. 16 but officials said that he didn't contract the disease from his father.

public health

Thai public health officials "have concluded that this is not a human-to-human transmission," Thawat said.

Nineteen people in Thailand have been confirmed as being infected with the virus since it swept into the country in late 2003.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in his weekly radio address yesterday urged strict monitoring for bird flu and immediate reporting of sick chickens.

outbreaks

He said authorities are now monitoring for bird flu in 21 provinces that previously had outbreaks.

New cases were found in four provinces, and authorities have culled fowl and sprayed chemicals in an attempt to eradicate the disease in those areas.

He urged villagers to take precautions such as wearing gloves when handling sick chickens.

dangerous

"Cooked chickens are safe to eat, even if they had bird flu, but before they are cooked -- when they are raw -- that is when they are dangerous," Thaksin said.

"Chicken farmers have to keep a close watch. If they see chickens that die, they have to report them immediately," he added.

Thaksin said that he would raise the issue of bird flu at a regional leaders' summit on economic cooperation in Bangkok early next month.

Thaksin further added that he would also offer neighboring countries assistance in fighting the disease.
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