The Department of Livestock Development of Thailand has detected the bird flu disease in free- range ducks in its random check on poultry to monitor, control and eradicate the deadly disease.

The Department's Director-General Yukol Limlaemthong was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying that lab test results confirmed that bird flu virus was found in the samples of free-range ducks from the central province of Chai Nat.

The department ordered the culling of more than 1,700 ducks and announced an intensified 21-day surveillance in the area.

The virus was detected this week amid the government's comprehensive inspections of poultry across the country since last month.

Officials focus on free-range ducks because they can spread the disease without showing any sign of bird flu symptoms.

However, Yukol said that the detection of the bird flu in free- range ducks would not affect poultry export and processed chicken.

He said Thailand has continuously reported the bird flu situation to the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the inter-governmental organization to ensure transparency in the global animal disease situation as well as the key importer countries of Thai poultry products.

Source: Xinhua