Bird flu in Laos

The Lao’s People’s Democratic Republic is a landlocked country in southeast Asia. Bordering Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, it is a communist state which has its roots in the Kingdom of Lan Xang (in translation Land of a Million Elephants). It gained its independence from France in 1949, but currently has a precarious economical situation. The country heavily lacks infrastructure, having substandard roads and no railway whatsoever.

Bird flu outbreak reported in Laos

Monday, July 31st, 2006

As a local foreign minister reported on Friday, Laos has confirmed an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus strain, in a flock of chickens form a farm near the capital city of Vientiane. 2,850 birds were found dead last week on that location and now health officials have ordered the culling of an additional 3,500 chickens from the farm. The farm is located in the Xaythany district, south of Vientiane and has experienced another bird flu outbreak in the year 2004. Although neighbouring Thailand (country which has reported 15 human fatalities due to the virus so far), Laos has not yet had any human deaths. Poverty in Laos has determined the United States to give a financial aid of 3.4 million dollars to the country in October 2005, in an effort to fight off the disease.

Posted in Laos