July 26, 2004

Bird Flu Spreads To 10 Vietnamese Provinces

Bird flu outbreaks have spread to 10 provinces in southern Vietnam, local media reported Saturday.

The People's Army newspaper quoted national veterinary officials as saying the latest outbreaks were reported in Ben Tre and Kien Giang provinces in the Mekong Delta on July 21.

To date, no provinces in northern Vietnam have reported outbreaks. But officials are worried about the dangers of bird flu recurring there, the newspaper said.

The devastating avian influenza, which made its way across Asia earlier in the year, forced the slaughter of 100 million chickens and also infected humans. A total of 24 people died, 16 of them in Vietnam.

In the past month, small outbreaks have returned in Vietnam, Thailand, China and most recently Indonesia.

Vietnam has already culled about 50,000 chickens as a precautionary measure, all in the southern part of the country.

Hanoi, along with the country's 21 northern provinces, is stepping up measures to prevent the bird flu's return. Beginning Sunday, city officials will set up 16 animal checkpoints, and begin disinfecting all poultry farms, markets, and slaughter houses once a week over the next month.