March 10, 2011

FMD hits 25 Vietnamese provinces

FMD has spread to 25 provinces across Vietnam, contaminating dozen thousands of pigs and cattle, reported local news on Tuesday (Mar 8).

As many as 6,000 pigs in the northern province of Tuyen Quang are infected with the disease while in Thai Nguyen, local authorities reported infected cases to reach over 14,400, both pigs and cattle.

In the southern province of Binh Duong, the disease has hit local pig herd of thousands. It was reported that local farmers freely sold infected animals to traders while authorities did no action to prevent it.

Earlier the government requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to provide 275,000 FMD vaccine doses for six northern provinces Thai Nguyen, Hoa Binh, Phu Yen, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Tuyen Quang.

The disease has posed a threat to a flock of 27 million pigs and nine million cattle heads nationwide since as the country currently has only two million doses of vaccine in stock.

National Veterinary Company (NAVETCO) is working to import vaccines from Russia and the Netherlands after French's Merial has no vaccines to offer.

Meanwhile, the bird flu has reoccurred in six northern provinces and central highlands province of Kon Tum.