Bangkok: Thailand today declared itself free of bird flu after no outbreaks of the deadly virus were reported over the past 90 days.

The agriculture ministry's Livestock Development Department, which made the announcement, has also launched a two-month nationwide campaign to eradicate the disease.

"As of now Thailand has not reported any new case of bird flu virus for 90 days, therefore it's considered that Thailand is free from bird flu under the OIE," the department said, referring to standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Thailand's last outbreak of avian influenza was on January 25 among chickens on a farm in the northern province of Phichit.

Since its first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in January 2004, Thailand has confirmed 25 human cases, 17 of which were fatal. The last human fatality was in August 2006.

Thai authorities have slaughtered millions of birds to halt the spread of the virus and importing countries have stopped buying fresh chicken products from Thailand.

The H5N1 strain has killed more than 240 people worldwide since late 2003.

Experts fear the virus could mutate into a form easily transmissible between people, sparking a deadly global pandemic.
Source : PTI