Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Saturday urged concerned officials to step up vigilance against the deadly bird flu disease, especially now that the country is more impacted by the rainy season.

Speaking during his weekly radio program, Thaksin said the country had been free of avian influenza for more than 290 days due to good cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Denying rumors of a recent outbreak of a new round of the disease which had killed many chickens and birds, Thaksin said they died from an infection called "Newcastle disease" and not bird flu.

Despite a long absence of the disease, officials must keep a close watch especially in areas that were affected before, he added.

Source: Xinhua