The chief of the Department of Livestock Development ordered his officials nationwide to be on alert to prevent the outbreak of avian influenza.
Sorawit Thaneeto, director-general of the department, made the order after the World Health Organization had reported that the H5N6 avian influenza erupted in China where five people were infected and two of them died.
The director-general said that he ordered local officials to closely visit poultry farms and monitor animal diseases in border areas.
They were also instructed to collect samples from poultry in risk areas including border areas, places of migrant birds and areas congested with poultry farms for testing as avian influenza can be transmitted from animals to humans, Mr Sorawit said.
Besides, officials are restricting the transport of live and dead poultry in the country and suspending poultry imports from the country of the outbreak.
Mr Sorawit advised poultry farmers to maximize their disease control measures including weekly cleaning and disinfection of their farms, restricting visits to farms and disinfecting all vehicles.
Thailand has been free of avian influenza for 12 years. (TNA)
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