Watching a Cambodian village of outbreak

Sunday, August 13, 2006 (Phnom Penh):

A Cambodian village hit by a new outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus will be closely monitored for 30 days.

Officials will also inspect surrounding areas in an effort to prevent the disease from spreading.

Animal health officials will continue collecting samples from poultry in the Rokar Chuor Timuoy village in Prey Veng province, and in a three-kilometer radius around it to test for bird flu.

"The village itself has been placed under constant monitoring for a 30-day period to prevent the spread of the virus," said Kao Phal, director of the Agriculture Ministry's animal health department.

He also said that officials have finished culling some 400 ducks that were part of the 1,600 on the small village farm where the outbreak began.

The ministry on Saturday confirmed the outbreak of H5N1 virus among ducks in the village.

Some of the affected ducks began falling sick on August 2, and more than 1,000 of them died in following days.

The latest outbreak has prompted Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun to urge people across the country to be on "high alert" for bird flu. (AP)

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