March 4, 2008

Vietnam confirms two more provinces hit with bird flu

Vietnam officials lately confirmed that bird flu has stricken poultry in the two northern provinces of Phu Tho and Ha Nam, raising the total number of affected localities in Vietnam to nine.

The country currently has nine localities affected with bird flu, including Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Tuyen Quang, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Ha Nam in the northern region, and Vinh Long in the southern region, the Department of Animal Health under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Department reported.

Bird flu outbreaks in Vietnam, which started in December 2003, have killed and resulted to forced culling of millions of fowls in the country.