Thailand watches out emerging infectious diseases

BANGKOK, August 29 (TNA) - Thailand is keeping a close watch on avian influenza and emerging infectious diseases carried by poultry during their upcoming winter migration over the next couple of months, as well as wild animals imported from other countries. Theerapat Prayurasiddhi, Deputy Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, acknowledged that it is necessary to work out surveillant plans against a renewed spreading of avian flu and any outbreak of emerging diseases. Theerapat said a meeting of parties concerned was held recently by his department to particularly discuss impacts from the annual migration of wild fowl, namely the new H7N1 and H7N9. According to the senior official, his department has also been on alert against the Corona virus, which has caused deadly outbreaks overseas and its carrier has not yet been identified, by, among other means, seeking cooperation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' Department of Livestock Development on watching out imported, or even smuggled, animals. The senior official noted that his department has also tested diseases in wild mammals and reptiles, including bats, monkeys, snakes and frogs, in which bacteria may mutate into new strains of emerging diseases and may be transmitted to humans due to impacts from climate change and the changing environment, while local farmers have been urged to report on any suspicious symptom of their livestocks to his department through its hotline, 1362, for further probes and timely actions. (TNA)