February 14, 2014

Vietnam culls thousands of poultry infected by bird flu

In order to contain the disease that has killed thousands of fowl this month, more than 400 chickens infected with bird flu were destroyed in central Vietnam.

In at least six northern and central provinces, tens of thousands of chickens have contracted the H5N1 virus, Tuoi Tre News reported.

The 400 birds incinerated were among 900 chickens on a farm in the Duc Pho district of Quang Ngai province confirmed to have the bird flu virus.

Local authorities said more than 5,000 chickens and ducks in the district have died of the disease and about 3,000 of the birds have been incinerated.

Officials in northern Quang Tri province said 3,200 infected ducks had been destroyed at two communes.

Veterinary officials said another 100 birds were killed at a home in Kon Tum province after they tested positive for the disease.

Last week, more than 4,100 ducks and chicken were reported to have died of H5N1 on farms in two districts of the province.

The disease has also been reported at four communes in Quang Nam province, where four million poultry have yet to be vaccinated.