Thai bird flu baby recovers, grandma cleared

November 14, 2005

14 Nov 2005 04:44:07 GMT

Source: Reuters

BANGKOK, Nov 14 (Reuters) - A Bangkok toddler who tested positive

for bird flu is now fully recovered, but will have to remain in

hospital for three weeks to meet international health requirements,

a senior health official said on Monday.

His grandmother, who was tested for the H5N1 virus, turned out to

have ordinary human flu, Disease Control Department chief Thawat

Suntrajarn told Reuters.

" He is fully recovered now because he was infected with only small

amount of the virus and was given prompt treatment, " Thawat said of

the first case in the Thai capital since a flare-up of the deadly

disease a month ago.

" His grandmother tested negative twice, but we have to keep testing

her until she is discharged from hospital, " he said.

Thawat said the 18-month-old boy might have contracted the H5N1

virus from the droppings of chickens that died around his home in an

eastern suburb of Bangkok.

The virus -- which has killed 13 Thais since it swept across large

parts of Asia in late 2003 -- has re-emerged in 10 of Thailand's 76

provinces, mainly in central areas, since the beginning of last

month.

Five provinces were later declared free of the disease after a 21-

day surveillance period.

Despite the spread of the virus to the outskirts of Bangkok,

outbreaks remain far fewer than at the same time last year, when 44

of Thailand's 76 provinces reported bird flu cases.

The toddler's case brings the number confirmed H5N1 infections to

125, of which 64 have died. All the cases have been in Asia, though

the virus has since spread to birds in Europe.

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