January 28, 2011

Vietnam keeps bird flu, blue-ear diseases under control

The blue-ear and bird flu epidemics are under control in Vietnam but FMD was still a problem, said Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Minister Diep Kinh Tan.

Authorities of some provinces had not yet implemented strict measures to prevent foot-and mouth disease and even could not agree on what vaccine to use, Tan said.

Inspections had revealed the northern Son La Province had not implemented strict controls on 50% of its grazing cattle herd, he added

The steering committee said FMD was occurring at two main regions of the northern mountainous provinces and Central Highland. Points of origin for the disease had been discovered in the two regions recently, which showed that the disease was still spreading.

The main reasons were disease-affected cattle was still being sold and the cold weather had reduced the cattle's resistance to the disease.

The steering committee asked affected provinces and neighbouring regions for stronger inspections of cattle farmers and slaughter-houses and detection of illegal cattle sales and smuggling in border areas.

The committee also asked the agricultural ministry's veterinary department to complete the draft of the 2011-2015 national programme on FMD prevention for the ministry's approval.

There are 14 provinces which still have FMD, including Son La, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa, Dien Bien, Thai Nguyen, Ha Giang and Hoa Binh in the north, Quang Ngai, Nghe An, Phu Yen in the centre, and Kon Tum in the Central Highland.