Thailand, Vietnam enhance cooperation in fight against bird flu

cctv.com 02-21-2004 09:58

Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to step up cooperation in the fight against bird flu, SARS and other epidemic diseases. The agreement was reached during a cabinet-level meeting between the two countries' prime ministers in Vietnam on Friday. Also on Friday Thailand said that three pet cats and a tiger had been infected by the virus after eating infected raw chicken.

The joint cabinet level meeting was the first of its kind held between Vietnam and Thailand to deal with, among other things, the devastating bird flu that has killed 22 people in the two nations.

The Thai foreign minister said, "We issued a ministerial meeting that all countries participating will work together to increase surveillance and also to adhere to a principle of transparency, and we will be working together on a real-time day-to-day basis between officials of public health and the agriculture ministry as to what other sub-types of virus."

Under the agreement, Vietnam and Thailand will share information and knowledge on preventing bird flu, and work together in the laboratory.

The agreement comes at a time when bird flu has already dealt a heavy blow to Thailand, the world's fourth largest exporter of chicken, and Vietnam which has suffered the highest human toll from the disease.

But on Friday, Thai officials reported a new development. Three domestic cats contracted the H5N1 virus and died after eating infected raw chicken. A white tiger at a zoo near Bangkok also contracted the disease but has recovered.

Though it is still unclear whether the virus could spread from felines to humans, one medical expert warned people to keep their cats away from areas of infected poultry.

Editor:Xiao  Source:CCTV.com