July 8, 2010
Vietnam fails to eliminate bird flu
Vietnam was not able to eliminate the bird flu pandemic this year as planned earlier, said the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
"Cities and provinces across the country have failed to put the pandemic under control because of inefficient management on poultry slaughtering and transport," said Hoang Van Nam, acting head of the department.
Nam attributed the pandemic's outbreak to small-scaled breeding model and low awareness of local citizens.
Since 2003, bird flu has hit Vietnam five times, affecting poultry and waterfowl in 60 of the country's 64 cities and provinces, and killing 54 people.
The pandemic has attacked 17 cities and provinces this year in Vietnam, including Quang Tri, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Tuyen Quang, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Dien Bien, Soc Trang, Nam Dinh,, Ha Tinh, Kon Tum, and Ha Giang.
In the previous year, it broke out in 68 communes of 34 districts in 17 cities and provinces with total destroyed number of 127,000 heads.
