April 22, 2004

Bird Flu Could Resurface In Vietnam

Bird flu might recur in Vietnam next month, warned a local professor. This is the period when wet weather is most suitable for the development of viruses, in addition to the weakening of the disease-resisting ability of poultry.

Viruses may still exist in environments such as landfills, in which bird flu-infected poultry were buried. Thus they can strongly develop in the transitional period between spring and summer, local newspaper Pioneer on Friday quoted the vice chairman of the Hanoi Union of Scientific and Technological Associations Vu Hoan, as saying.

The viruses are also likely to exist in poultry's droppings, as well as healthy waterfowls such as ducks and geese, he noted.

Furthermore, the possibility of a bird flu recurrence can be found in the slaughter, transport and consumption of poultry if these activities are not conducted safely.

Late last month, Vietnam declared an end to the bird flu outbreak which killed 17 percent of its poultry population. A total of 43.2 million fowls in 57 out of 64 localities nationwide either died or were culled. This has caused the local poultry industry to suffer direct losses of VND1,300 billion (USD83.4 million).