August 4, 2004

Vietnam Aims To Eliminate Bird Flu By September

Vietnam is hoping to wipe out all bird flu outbreaks by the end of September.

According to the Agriculture ministry, seven provinces, which have been tackling recurrences of avian influenza, have already met the conditions to declare themselves free of the disease.

The Agriculture ministry says it is trying to prevent any new outbreaks this month, and continued efforts are made to control the transport as well as the sale of poultry.

However, an official declaration of victory over the lethal H5N1 strain of the disease could prove controversial. The virus had killed 16 people in Vietnam earlier this year.

Vietnam was heavily criticised for its March 30 announcement that the country was free of the bird flu virus.

The World Health Organization has warned it could take years to eliminate the virus from the environment.