NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 29 January 2014 (NNT) – The southern office of the Disease Prevention and Control Department confirmed that there have been no reports of outbreaks of the new fatal H7N9 virus from China in Thailand.

The office has nonetheless advised poultry farmers to notify the Livestock Development Department of any unusual illnesses in their farms.

The agency acknowledged although Thailand has been free from avian flu since 2006, the country remains at risk of being hit by avian flu, as it could spread from other Asian countries through cross-border trade and movements of poultry and people.

According to latest figures released by the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) on January 23, a total of 219 patients have contracted the H7N9 virus, 52 of whom died.

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