February 18, 2009
Vietnam reports new outbreaks of bird flu and FMD
Vietnamese animal health department has reported new outbreaks of bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease.
Bird flu struck two new communes Nguyen Viet Khai and Viet Thang in Phu Tan District, southernmost Ca Mau province, in Mekong Delta on Saturday (Feb 14). Local authorities culled all affected poultry to control the virus.
Earlier in central Quang Tri Province, 80 out of 200 ducks raised by a household in Trieu Do commune, Trieu Phong District, died after falling ill. Local health workers have taken samples of the poultry for further testing.
Bird flu has also re-emerged in seven provinces, including Ca Mau, Soc Trang, Nghe An, Hau Giang, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri and Bac Ninh, leading to the culling of thousands of contaminated poultry.
Meanwhile, in northern Hoa Binh Province, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continued to affect cattle in the province with five cows and buffaloes testing positive in Ba Khan commune, Mai Chau District.
Local authorities have vaccinated all cows and buffaloes in Mai Chau and surrounding communes in Tan Lac District.
The animal health department warned that FMD could continue to spread if there was not strict supervision over the transport of cattle.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will organise a meeting in Hanoi to discuss measures to prevent further outbreaks.
