May 10, 2004

Vietnam Steps Up Fight Against Bird Flu

Vietnam plans to kill any chickens and other poultry in Ho Chi Minh's urban markets that have not been quarantined, Vietnam News Service reported Saturday.

Meanwhile, markets across the city have been trading a high quantity of live poultry daily. This is despite the city having banned the sale of non-quarantined poultry in inner city districts, when the virus showed signs of reoccurring last month.

The director of the city's Animal Health Center, Dong Manh Hoa, said recent tests showed certain strains of the virus, type A and H5N1, still exist, although they are not as potentially dangerous as before.

The city's bird flu control board has ordered markets in inner districts to sell only poultry meat with labels, expiration date and hygienic packaging.

Live chickens are allowed to be sold in markets in the outskirts of the city.