Thailand Launches New Plan to Stem Bird Flu Resurgence - THAILAND - Thailand launched an emergency plan on Monday in response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) warning of possible large-scale resurrection of avian influenza.

The government will draw up an initial plan for bird flu control and come out with a comprehensive strategy to tackle all related issues in three months, Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang was quoted by newspaper Nation as saying on Tuesday.

A system will also be put in place to prepare the country in the event of mutation enabling the flu virus transmitted between human.

WHO earlier warned that Asia is still facing the possibility of a large-scale emergence of bird flu, adding that the disease would be more lethal than SARS if no proper prevention measures adopted.

Bird flu killed 12 people in Thailand last year but no new cases have been reported in the country since November.

However, remnants of the virus still exist in the kingdom and if allowed to re-emerge, might prove epidemic, said Chaturon, who oversees the country's bird flu prevention work.

"The bird-flu epidemic poses a bigger danger than many Thais like to think," he said. "We can't afford to be complacent."

Source: eFeedLink - 11th January 2005