Bird flu is zoonosis disease, and it has spread to 60 countries since December 2003. Consequently, over 250 million poultry, ducks and birds were killed and culled. Up to 12-11-2007, altogether 335 people were infected with bird flu, in which 206 died.
The incidence of bird flu is common in the winter, and the sporadic outbreaks were also found in all seasons.
In Myanmar, some poultry farms of Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions were struck by an outbreak of HPA1 and H5N1 viruses in February and March 2006, some poultry farms of Yangon Division in February and March 2007, some poultry farms of Mon State and Bago Division (West) in July 2007, and some poultry farms of Bago Division (East) in October 2007.
After the sporadic incidence of bird flu in Yangon Division, disease monitoring and diagnostic tests were carried out regularly. The H5 antigen was found at a poultry farm in Hmawby Township in October 2007. As there were no symptom of bird flu, death and passing of virus, necessary preventative measures were taken.
There were unusual deaths of indigenous chicken in a village, Kengtung Township, Shan State (East) on 18-11-2007. Regarding that, officials made field trips and carried out laboratory tests. The result was that H5N1 virus was detected at the farm. Consequently, chicken of the farm were culled, disinfecting of the farm, restriction of transport of chicken and bio-security were taken.
The Livestock and Veterinary Department issued a notification, urging the people to prevent the entry of poultry and birds of neighbouring countries into the nation, to systematically take the bio-security measures for poultry farms, not to intermingle poultry with ducks, quails and pigs in a farm, to send the dead poultry and birds to the LBVD, the Livestock Breeding Federation and local authorities if found in the farm, to wash the hands with soap after holding poultry and farm utensils and to eat chicken only after cooking them thoroughly.