Thailand Increases Surveillance Following Bird Flu Fatalities in Cambodia
Health and livestock authorities respond to cross-border H5N1 outbreak with enhanced monitoring and hygiene protocols
Thai health authorities have raised national alert levels following an outbreak of avian influenza in neighbouring Cambodia that has resulted in multiple human fatalities.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has implemented heightened surveillance measures, citing the risk posed by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, particularly subclade 2.3.2.1e, which remains capable of causing widespread transmission among both poultry and humans.
According to official reports, Cambodia has recorded 26 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu since 2023, with 11 deaths documented in the current year.
Siem Reap province has experienced the highest concentration of cases, with four confirmed infections.
The most recent outbreak in Cambodia has led Thai authorities to intensify disease prevention efforts in border provinces.
The Department of Livestock Development has issued updated biosecurity guidance to poultry farmers, emphasizing the need for routine sanitation of poultry enclosures, mandatory disinfection of vehicles entering farm premises, and restricted access to sensitive farming zones.
These measures are aimed at reducing the risk of virus transmission among poultry stocks and limiting potential cross-species infection.
Officials have been directed to closely monitor poultry populations in areas adjacent to the Cambodian border.
Farmers are instructed to report any sudden poultry deaths or symptoms suggestive of illness to local veterinary or public health units.
Distribution and consumption of animals that show signs of infection or die from illness have been explicitly prohibited.
While the current risk of avian flu spreading within Thailand remains classified as low, authorities have emphasized the importance of continued vigilance.
Public health and livestock officials have called on citizens to remain alert and report suspected bird flu cases to ensure timely containment and response efforts.
No human infections have been confirmed in Thailand as of this report.
Thailand has not recorded a human case of H5N1 since 2006, though sporadic outbreaks in poultry have been reported over the past two decades.
Regional and international health organizations continue to monitor the situation for signs of zoonotic transmission or mutation of the virus.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has implemented heightened surveillance measures, citing the risk posed by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, particularly subclade 2.3.2.1e, which remains capable of causing widespread transmission among both poultry and humans.
According to official reports, Cambodia has recorded 26 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu since 2023, with 11 deaths documented in the current year.
Siem Reap province has experienced the highest concentration of cases, with four confirmed infections.
The most recent outbreak in Cambodia has led Thai authorities to intensify disease prevention efforts in border provinces.
The Department of Livestock Development has issued updated biosecurity guidance to poultry farmers, emphasizing the need for routine sanitation of poultry enclosures, mandatory disinfection of vehicles entering farm premises, and restricted access to sensitive farming zones.
These measures are aimed at reducing the risk of virus transmission among poultry stocks and limiting potential cross-species infection.
Officials have been directed to closely monitor poultry populations in areas adjacent to the Cambodian border.
Farmers are instructed to report any sudden poultry deaths or symptoms suggestive of illness to local veterinary or public health units.
Distribution and consumption of animals that show signs of infection or die from illness have been explicitly prohibited.
While the current risk of avian flu spreading within Thailand remains classified as low, authorities have emphasized the importance of continued vigilance.
Public health and livestock officials have called on citizens to remain alert and report suspected bird flu cases to ensure timely containment and response efforts.
No human infections have been confirmed in Thailand as of this report.
Thailand has not recorded a human case of H5N1 since 2006, though sporadic outbreaks in poultry have been reported over the past two decades.
Regional and international health organizations continue to monitor the situation for signs of zoonotic transmission or mutation of the virus.
