Bird Flus in Thailand
 

don't want to scare anyone, so take it for what its worth. i read that two people died after visitng a relative in the hospital who eventually died from the bird flu. i understand that the health authorities are investigating the possibility as a case of human transmission of the bird flu.

does anyone have anymore info on this? or updated info?

i am planning a mid-oct visit to bkk, and don't want to be in a position where i will be quarantined if i return to singapore, and in japan.

I haven't heard of this possible instance of human to human transmission, so I can't comment on this case.

I keep up on all of the health issues for places I'm traveling at www.cdc.gov/travel

They have a special section on the Avian flu and post regular updates.

That was in the newspaper a few days ago. WHO and the CDC are suppose to be investigating the matter with the local Thai health authority. Haven't heard anything else.

Both the local papers and the BBC have confirmed that those involved have been in contact with dead birds.

The Thai Minister of Health is reported as saying that there has been no virus mutation, ruling out the possibility of a human to human transmission.

However, there is still one case under investigation.

its on msnbc, via ap wire. dr. kumara rai of who said woman's death probably caused by human to human transmission of the bird flu.

New York Times seems to confirm one case of human to human contraction. This case seems to be curable. While initial 2 instances were in far northern Thailand the Times references a third in Bangkok. But, it is fuzzy. Not sure what that means. I think it is too early to cancel trips for sure. Maybe treeking in far north might be avoided until we know more, probably by the end of the week.

An up-date to my posting yesterday. The BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3695856.stm is now reporting:

?A Thai woman who recently died of bird flu probably caught the disease from her daughter, the government has said.
If true, she would be the first person in the latest outbreak to get bird flu from another human rather than birds.
A case of human-to-human infection would renew fears that bird flu may one day combine with human flu to create a more deadly version of the disease.
But officials said this was likely to be an isolated case, and the WHO said it posed no "significant" public risk.
Klaus Stohr, head of the WHO's global influenza programme, said the latest case was possibly another example of a "non-sustained, inefficient, dead-end-street, human-to-human transmission".?

Hey folks. I don't have anything to say from personal knowledge/experience - I'll be making my first visit to Thailand next Feb. But from Nancy Chandler's site: BIRD FLU CONCERNS. Supermarkets are still stocking chicken and eggs and hotel restaurants have yet to change their menus to the best of our knowledge. Health authorities in Thailand stress that the dangers of contagion are largely limited to the handling of live or uncooked chickens, their 'excrement' (to be polite) and unwashed eggs. According to the authorities, chicken and eggs are still safe to eat if they have been well-cooked. In short, bird flu is not believed to pose a serious threat to the average visitor to Thailand. The World Health Organization meanwhile urges visitors to avoid live animal markets and poultry farms.

from what I see not much has changed in chicken eating habbits. KFC are just as packed as usual, they now offer tuna wraps though. the wraps are pritty good.

Well I'm not sure what too do eather stop eating my almost daily chicken or stop talking too people.

CJackson; The fact that Thai officials say " not to worry" and that menue's still have chicken on them does not leave me with a real warm feeling. For the time being why not stick to beef,pork and fish. I realize the kitchens may have chickens in them but no reason to panic, but maybe be cautious for the time being. The former Head of the EPA in the USA, Christie Whitman, said the air around "Ground Zero" was safe a month after the sad day in Set. 2001 but yet babies are being born to women that returned to living near the area in 2003 and 2004 with a disportionate number of birth defects. Sad but true.
It just seems prudent to go and enjoy Thailand but stay clear of street food vendors and chicken until the US National Institute of Health in Atlanta can review the World Health data that unfolds over the next few weeks.

Interesting. At the Four Seasons last month... there was a sign up in the breakfast buffet line that said...due to the bird/chicken virus...all eggs would be cooked well done. I understand your concern of possibly being quarantined.After returning from Singapore... the month before SARS was announced... I was a bit worried. And then 5 months after having left Singapore...back home to L.A.... I went down to Barbados for a mini- rest vacation and upon arrival at the airport, there was a huge sign saying that SARS was taken VERY seriously down there and a list of the infected countries was posted.Anyone having been in any of the infected countries...within a certain period of time... had to report to the Barbados heath authorities. I was a little nervous and praying that the passport stamp was readable as to when I had LEFT Singapore...January...which would have meant that there was no way I could have been infected since I had been in Singapore five months before entering Barbados. Make sure your passport stamps are clear.But I was still held up for a while since I had several stamps from Singapore from other years and the inspector went over every one with a fine-toothed comb!Happy Travels!