Vietnamese bird flu outbreak spreads to eight provinces

Vietnam has reported outbreaks of A/ H5N1 avian flu in eight provinces, the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has stated.

Avian flu outbreaks have been noted in Nam Dinh province in northern Vietnam, and provinces including Ca Mau, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Long An, Quang Ngai and Tay Ninh in central and southern region, Xinhua has reported.

Cullings have been taking place across the provinces resulting in the death of 30,000 infected birds. Quang Ngai province has been most effected with the death of 5,000 birds. Other provinces are also being put on high alert as some 4 million birds in Quang Nam province have not been vaccinated against the disease yet, the Quang Nam Veterinary Department stated.

Reports suggest that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the establishment of inspection teams to promote anti-bird flu efforts at localities, especially those vulnerable to the epidemic. The dispatch requested the minister of MARD, who is also the head of the National Steering Committee for Bird Flu Prevention and Control, to take immediate action to prevent the transfer of avian flu to human.

So far this year, Vietnam has reported two cases of human death from A/H5N1 avian flu in southern Binh Phuoc and Dong Thap provinces.