Bird flu over in a week Thailand

Thai authorities say they hope to declare the bird flu epidemic over next week. This is after the deaths of seven people and millions of chickens.


Thai Deputy Agriculture Minister, Newin Chidchob said the country will be declared free of bird flu on March 16. This is if there are no further outbreaks of bird flu in the country between now and that date.


He said that chicken farming will resume in the red areas 69 days after March 16.


The only organisation authorised to declare the area bird flu free is the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health), said other officials.


Thailand is he world's fourth largest chicken producer. It has culled 30 million chickens during this epidemic.


At the peak of the epidemic 42 of the country's 76 provinces were infected with bird flu.