August 5, 2005

Vietnam starts poultry vaccination against bird flu

Vietnam started vaccinating poultry against bird flu viruses in a northern Nam Dinh province on Aug 4, said the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Dung.

This month, Vietnam is vaccinating poultry as a pilot programme in the northern Nam Dinh province and southern Le Dung province, using vaccines imported predominantly from China. The programme will end by August.

However, the country is likely to expand the vaccination programme to another 15 provinces and cities in September.

On Aug 4, the country's veterinary department also started workshops in Ho Chi Minh City and southern Mekong Delta provinces on fowl-preparation for vaccination.

Up to 70 percent of waterfowls in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta have tested positive for the pathogenic bird flu strain H5N1, said local veterinary agencies.

The country has also culled 4,620 poultry, mainly ducks and chickens, after bird flu outbreaks in Hanoi and the three other southern localities last month.