December 6, 2005

Vietnam's Cao Bang reports bird flu outbreak

Vietnam's northern Cao Bang province has reported bird flu outbreaks in four communes, which killed over 900 ducks and chickens, the Agriculture Ministry's animal health department said.

Health workers have culled 3,717 birds, which tested positive for the H5 virus strain, the ministry added.

Cao Bang is 270 kilometres (170 miles) north of Hanoi and borders China's southern Guangxi province.

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has claimed almost 70 human lives since 2003, of which 42 came from Vietnam.