Thailand's bird flu issues

WHO puts Thais on alert against influenza and bird flu

WHO officials in Thailand have asked for cooperation from the Thai people in preventing the spread of influenza and bird flu. Doctor Somchai Phirapakorn (สมชาย พีระปกรณ์), an official attached to WHO office in Thailand, cited researches as showing that the H5N1 strain, or bird flu, has undergone a mutation but not completely enough to make it communicable between humans. However, the finding underlined higher chances for human contraction than in the past 10 years. The doctor called for public cooperation in controlling the spread of the strain by reporting any sight of unusual illnesses both in human and poultry. Members of the public are also requested to distance themselves from poultry as far as possible while frequently washing hands and having properly cooked and clean food. Bird flu has already been found among poultry in Asia, Europe and Africa covering 48 countries. As for contraction in humans, Indonesia has the highest number of patients while no report on such a case in Thailand and Vietnam.