NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Sept 27 (TNA) - There was no outbreak of bird flu in Thailand's lower northeastern region after the last outbreak in Nakhon Phanom on August 2, a senior Department of Livestock Development official said Wednesday.

Deputy Director General Chaweewan Leowijuk said the department had campaigned intensively to prevent the spread of bird flu during the past month, and there was no sign of outbreak in the northeast or elsewhere in the country.

She said that although the latest bird flu virus fatality was confirmed in Nong Bua Lam Phu, a northeastern province, it will not be declared a "red-zone" under a special monitoring for bird flu since the latest checks found no outbreak there.

"Since the victim developed the bird flu-like symptoms in August, livestock officials inspected and culled poultry in the vicinity of his home, but found no trace of the virus," she said.

However, department officials will still strictly monitor poultry flocks in Non Bua Lam Phu to prevent any occurance of the virus among poultry, she said.

Ms. Chaweewan confirmed that poultry was culled in Chaiyaphum province recently after native chickens were found dead for unknown reasons in Nong Bua Dang district.

Lab test results will be known in one or two days, she said, to determine whether the birds were sick and had died from virus or not. (TNA)-E003