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Crisis
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2004-01-23 10:43:12-05
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Thailand Reports First Human Death From Avian Flu
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A 56-year-old butcher becomes Thailand?s first death from avian flu, charges of government cover-up are rampant
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This evening (Jan.23) it was announced by the Thai government that the first death of a person due to the avian flu had occurred. The victim was a 56-year-old butcher who had apparently come into contact with an infected chicken carcass. In Thailand, there are three more cases under surveillance, two boys from a chicken farm and another case has tested negative. The flu cannot pass from human to human as yet but only from fowl to human. The avian flu has spread rapidly throughout Asia with Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia reporting infected flocks. In Vietnam there have been five human deaths reported. The death in Thailand comes amid charges that the Thai government has been covering up the avian flu problem since December. Even this evening with the announcement of the death, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan was telling BBC News that the government was ?not particularly worried about the crisis. Thailand may be the world's top chicken exporter, with much of it going to the European Union and Japan. The total exports are currently valued at US$ 1.3 billion. Following the announcement of the death the EU and Japan announced they were stopping the importation of Thai chicken. Since the chicken flocks started dropping off, the Thai government has steadfastly maintained that bird cholera and/or bronchitis were the causes of the outbreak. Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidcob has been the government's point man on the issue. He would not allow foreign veterinarians to examine the chickens, stating that Thai veterinarians were qualified to make the diagnoses. However, time and disease march on and many in the press and general public are saying that the government has conducted an intentional, disingenuous and systematic cover-up. Tonight's events may lead credence to that allegation.
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