Thailand:New human death by bird flu reported

BANGKOK, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Bird flu has killed a young Thai boy, Deputy Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakula said on Friday.

"The boy was infected with the H5N1 virus," Anutin told Reuters. He was unable to supply further details immediately.

Avian Influenza surveillance in human
As at December 8, 2005.
Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health

I. Avian Influenza in human situation 2005

Since January 1, 2005 to December 8, 2005, the Bureau of Epidemiology has received reports of influenza or pneumonia cases in Avian Influenza Surveillance Network from the Provincial Health Offices and Disease Prevention and Control Regional Offices. The investigation and analysis were summarized as follows:

Cumulative number of patients under surveillance are 2,809 cases; 76 provinces. Today reports are 17 cases; Three cases from Suphanburi, 2 each from Chachoengsao, Prachinburi, and Songkhla, and 1 each from Bangkok metropolis, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Prachuapkhirikhan, Nakhonnayok, Chiangmai, Sukhothai, and Kanchanaburi, with 1 new comfirmed avian influenza death case from Nakhonnayok.

A 5 years old male case which died in Nakhonnayok province had the onset on November 30, 2005 and had been admitted for treatment in Somdej Prathep Medical center hospital on December 5, 2005. He died on December 7, 2005. The result of respiratory secretion test by RT-PCR method done by Medical Science Department was positive for H5N1 virus. Preliminary investigation revealed that there had been abnormal deaths of fighting cocks in his house. Additional investigations are undergoing in the area.
Confirmed human case of avian influenza = 5, 2 death cases;
2 cases from Kanchanaburi with one death case,
1 from Nonthaburi/Bangkok Metropolis,
1 from Bangkok Metropolis,
and 1 death case from Nakhonnayok.
There is no suspect cases reported.

Conclusion:

· In 2005, there are 5 confirmed human cases of avian influenza, with 2 death cases.

· No patient from man-to-man transmission reported.

II. Avian Influenza International Situation, www.who.int

WHO report in brief : Since 26 December 2004, to 7 December 2005, there had been 135 H5N1 confirmed reported cases, with 69 deaths in 5 countries; Vietnam = 93, with 42 deaths; Four confirmed dead cases from Cambodia; 21 cases with 13 deaths in Thailand; 13 cases with 8 deaths from Indonesia, and 4 cases with 2 deaths in China. (Table1)

Table 1 : Details of confirmed H5N1 cases from WHO reports.

Duration	Indonesia		Cambodia		Thailand		Vietnam		China		TOTAL
	Case	Dead	Case	Dead	Case	Dead	Case	Dead	Case	Dead	Case	Dead
26 December - 10 March 2004	0	0	0	0	12	8	23	16	0	0	35	24
19 July - 8 October 2004	0	0	0	0	5	4	4	4	0	0	9	8
16 December 2004 - 7 December 2005	13	8	4	4	4	1	66	22	5	2	92	37
Summary	13	8	4	4	21	13	93	42	5	2	136	69

III. Domestic Avian Influenza in poultry situation

Avian influenza in poultry situation on the Department of Livestock Development web site (www.dld.go.th); since October 1 to December 8, 2005; revealed no infected areas and the areas where 21 days of surveillance. The areas waiting for laboratory result are 42 provinces; 272 tambons.

*Patient definition:

Suspected : Individual who has body temperature 38°C and one of these symptoms; muscle pain, cough, breathing difficulty, or shortness of breath, or the physician suspicious of pneumonia or influenza plus history of direct contacting sick or dead poultry within the last 7 days or unusual dead of poultry in the village within the last 14 days,

Probable : suspected case with preliminary laboratory result of influenza A infection but strain not known either human or avian influenza yet or respiratory failure or dead,

Confirmed : suspected case with final laboratory result indicated influenza A (H5) of which is avian strain by PCR or by virus culture,

Excluded : any patient who is not compatible with the aforementioned definition or laboratory result proved to be other causes.

Being under investigation : any patient, whose additional data or information either clinical or contact history in risk area are needed before any conclusion could be made.