Thailand denies bird flu cover-up

AFTER days of denying it had a problem, Thailand became the latest flash-point in the bird flu crisis with claims yesterday that a village boy is infected as the World Health Organisation warned that the fast-spreading virus could mutate into a form deadlier to humans.

Bird flu has killed five people in Vietnam and infected millions of chickens across Asia. So far, fowl are believed to have directly infected people, but scientists worry about the possibility of human-to-human transmission.

WHO spokesman Bob Dietz, said: “The more widespread it becomes, the greater the possibility that the virus could become altered and become more of a threat to the human population.”

Thailand is among the world’s top five poultry exporters and stocks in its multi billion-dollar industry fell by up to 7% yesterday.

Japan yesterday banned imports of Thai chickens. A spokesman for Japan’s Agriculture Ministry said reports the deadly disease has spread to humans made their decision necessary.

“Until it becomes clear if there has been an outbreak, we have told the relevant parties that we are temporarily suspending imports from Thailand as a precautionary measure,” he said.

Thailand’s Health Minister, Surt Keyuraphan, reacted angrily to reports that at least one person has died from the disease in Thailand and that the government was covering up the outbreak.

“We have nothing to hide,” she insisted.

She did, however, admit that three people, including a young boy and a chicken farmer, were undergoing tests for H5N1 avian influenza and promised the results would be made known by the weekend.

In Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied claims that the country’s first bird flu case in humans had been confirmed by a laboratory.

But a Thai senator, Nirun Phitakwatchara, accused officials of covering up, “for political and business reasons”, the case of a boy in central Suphanburi province, who, he said, tested positive for the disease.

Another senator, Wallop Thangananurak, warned against any cover-up if Thailand does have bird flu.

“The Chinese tried to cover up the SARS outbreak last year, which had consequences and pressure from the world community,” he said. “So the Thai government should not do like the Chinese ... It’s the government’s job to inform the public without making them panic.”