Bird flu lands in Mekong Delta after year?s absence

[Snowy Owl]

Bird flu lands in Mekong Delta after year?s absence
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01HEA201206

Bird flu lands in Mekong Delta after year?s absence​

(20-12-2006)​

HA NOI ? Viet Nam reported two fresh bird flu outbreaks in two provinces of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta after successfully controlling the epidemic for a year, the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Control said yesterday.​

The committee said over 2,000 ducks and 490 chickens were discovered dead in a village of Khanh Hung Commune in Tran Van Thoi District in the southern-most Ca Mau Province on December 6.

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One day later, bird flu was found among 3,550 poultry in three villages of Vinh Binh Commune in Hoa Binh District of the neighbouring Bac Lieu Province.​

The one-month-old fowls, that tested positive for bird flu H5N1 virus, were illegally hatched and not vaccinated. The Government has banned hatching ducks until February 28, 2007.

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A working team from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) visited the two provinces yesterday for guiding these localities in stamping out these outbreaks.

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At a meeting held in Ha Noi yesterday, the committee said the risk of bird flu spreading in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta was very high due to low public awareness and cool weather.

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Though the second round of vaccination was completed this year, many ducks hatched illegally have not been vaccinated.

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At the meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat criticised authorities of the two provinces for the late-detection of outbreaks, reported only five or six days after the poultry were found dead.

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He requested localities to step up epidemic surveillance and clean up poultry farms and markets. Phat also ordered the establishment of check-points at localities to keep poultry from being transported to other areas.

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The Animal Health Department was asked to collect blood samples for test and supervise prevention efforts at provinces and parks of migratory birds.​

The committee said 139 million of chickens and ducks were inoculated with a second vaccination this year.

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Reviewing the one-year success in controlling bird flu, Dr Bui Quang Anh from the ministry?s Animal Health Department attributed the success to various factors, including political will of the Government and agencies and implementation of synchronous measures.

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He, however, warned about the recurrence of outbreaks, pointing to reasons such as complacency of some localities and public, increasing demand for Tet (Lunar New Year) and outbreaks in some neighbouring countries.

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Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phat has approved the vaccination project for the second phase during 2007-2008, to cost VND185 billion. The ministry plans to start vaccinating white-winged ducks (ngan) from April 3 next year. ? VNS​