Chiang Rai Health Officials Spray Germicides against H7N9.

Provincial animal quarantine center are conducting a coordinated campaign to spray the border area inhabited by migratory birds

 

CHIANG RAI – – A Livestock Development Department office in this northern province and the provincial animal quarantine center are conducting a coordinated campaign to spray the border area inhabited by migratory birds from China with germicides against H7N9.

The campaign is aimed at preventing possible outbreak of the newly found H7N9 strain of bird flu from neighboring China, where all the cases of human infections had occurred.

The Department has also coordinated with the provincial administration in prohibiting hunting in the Nong Bong Khai wildlife sanctuary in Yonok Sub-district, which is the area under bird flu watch.

Wildlife protection unit chief Wachirayu Kiettibutr revealed the 1,100-acre Nong Bong Khai sanctuary usually shelters more than 5,000 – 10,000 migratory birds from Siberia during October to March each year. He said that, during the period, the park and the provincial Livestock Development officials would spray chemicals and conduct random tests on bird droppings on a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, the quarantine center in Chiang Rai indicates there are about 20 boats travelling in and out at the Chiang Saen pier daily. Most of them are destined to China. The center is working with the Livestock Development Department and the Ministry of Public Health in launching surveillance inspections on boat crew and chemical sprays on the vessels to contain possible spread of bird flu.