January 19, 2007

Vietnam's Can Tho province confirms H5N1 in poultry

Vietnam confirmed a bird flu outbreak among poultry in another southern province Thursday (Jan 18), the eighth Mekong Delta province struck since early last month.

Thirty ducklings died of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu in a backyard farm in the city of Can Tho, which prompted local authorities to kill the remaining 40 ducklings on the farm, the Department of Animal Health said on its website. None of the ducklings had been vaccinated.

Bird flu has killed or forced the slaughter of more than 40,000 birds in eight provinces in the delta since the virus first reemerged in early December.

Experts have warned that the outbreaks could spread nationwide as cooler weather arrives and movement of poultry to markets increases ahead of the Lunar New Year festivities in February.

Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat imposed tighter controls over the transport, trade and slaughter of poultry, prohibiting farmers from moving ducks outside their home villages.