AN official from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department confirmed last week that the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza had been detected at chicken farms in Bago Division and Mon State.

“The virus was found at a chicken farm in Letpandan township in Bago Division on July 28 and 29. The cases were confirmed on July 31,” said Dr Than Hla, a consultant from the department.

The department also found the virus in a goose from a nearby village. Officials destroyed about 4000 birds at the farm to prevent the virus from spreading.

“I suspect that the virus first infected the village goose and then spread to the farm. The farm workers are also from the village so they might also be the carriers,” Dr Than Hla said. “The local health department is now examining them to see if they are infected. But it is difficult to infect humans and no one has shown any symptoms of the disease.”

Dr Than Hla also confirmed that the H5N1 strain had been detected at two chicken farms in Thanbyuzayat township in Mon State.

The virus was detected on July 24, he said, adding that the department has killed a total of 312 chickens from the two farms to prevent the further spread of the disease.

“This is the first time we have found the H5N1 virus in Mon State,” he said.
“Thanbyuzayat and Letpandan are remote places so it is possible that the poultry in those areas were infected by migratory birds. It’s bad news that the virus always hits poultry farms,” he said.

“We have alerted other states and divisions about these cases and they are on the lookout for new cases,” he said. “We have told people to alert authorities immediately if their chickens get sick or if they suspect an outbreak.”

The July 24 occurrence was the first in Myanmar since H5N1 was detected on a chicken farm near Bago on June 3. Nearly 1000 chickens were destroyed on the farm to contain the virus.

From February 28 to March 30, the virus was detected at seven poultry farms in Mayangone, Hlaing Tharyar, North Okkalapa, Mingalardon and Hmawbi townships in Yangon. About 65,000 birds were culled by the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.

The department has set up a one-mile-radius quarantine area around Thanbyuzayat and has restricted the transport of poultry to and from area farms. Officials have also prohibited the sale of poultry at a market in Letpandan and are monitoring another poultry farm in the area.