November 16, 2005

Vietnam reports bird flu outbreaks in two more provinces

Vietnamese authorities reported Wednesday bird flu outbreaks in two more provinces - northern Vinh Phuc and central Quang Ngai - bringing to 12 the number of cities and provinces affected in the most recent wave of illness that began about a month ago.

The agriculture ministry's website also reported a third province - Bac Ninh - had been hit, but the provincial animal health director Nguyen Van Lung said he had no information on outbreaks for his region.

Van Tan, the provincial animal health department director in Quang Ngai, said authorities had culled 2,700 chickens, ducks and geese from four farms in one commune. Samples had tested positive for bird flu, he said.

In northern Vinh Phuc, about 100 chickens died in two farms and tests showed they had H5N1, said Duong Ngoc My, deputy director of animal health of the province.

Culling of all poultry in the two infected areas would start Thursday, My said. The infected communes have been put under strict surveillance, he said.

In Bac Ninh province, animal health director Lung said he had not reported any outbreaks to the central government. Test results from some flocks whose chickens had died over the weekend were not yet available, he said. Other samples taken last week were negative, he said.

The agriculture ministry said outbreaks had occurred in three communes of Bac Ninh province, with a total of 280 chickens and geese culled.