Bird flu spreads in Thailand

Thailand's fresh outbreak of bird flu was spreading yesterday, but officials said the deadly virus which ravaged Asian fowl flocks early this year was under control in Vietnam and China.

Bird flu has now spread to 15 of Thailand's 76 provinces since the first recurrence just over a week ago.

Officials said they were also awaiting laboratory tests on suspected cases of the H5N1 virus, which killed 16 Vietnamese and eight Thais who came in close contact with infected fowl earlier this year, in eight districts of Bangkok.

The fresh outbreak, in what was the world's fourth biggest chicken exporter before the earlier epidemic, has devastated the Thai industry and hit the stock market, which fell almost one per cent on Thursday.

There have been no reports of anyone in China, Vietnam or Thailand falling ill from bird flu in the latest outbreaks, officials in the three countries said.

But the government has put Thailand on high alert, ordering officials to rush anyone to hospital showing any symptoms which resemble those of bird flu.

Officials in China and Vietnam said their outbreaks had been contained and no new cases had been reported.