Bac Lieu scrambles to stamp out bird flu

Published: 18/02/2009 05:00

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Animal health officials in Bac Lieu Province cull a flock of ducks with bird flu in Phuoc G Long District’s Vinh Phu Dong Commune

A top Bac Lieu Province leader Wednesday instructed authorities to cull ducks and chickens showing symptoms of bird flu without waiting for test results.

At an emergency meeting held in the southern province, People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Pham Hoang Be also ordered officials to take other measures to control the disease - including vaccination, spraying disinfectants, and setting up 24-hour checkpoints to monitor the transport of poultry.

Chief of the Animal Heath Department, Lam Tri Thong, said the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus could spread to other areas in the coming days.

The practice of letting ducks range freely in paddies and waterways is common in a province full of canals and would facilitate the spread of the disease, he pointed out.

By Wednesday, local authorities had culled 3,185 birds in Phuoc Long and Long Duc districts, the department reported.

Bac Lieu has a population of 900,000 ducks and chickens.

Neighboring Ca Mau Province Wednesday reported that tests conducted on a flock of ducks in U Minh Town had proved positive for H5N1 bird flu.

A few days earlier, a flock of 710 ducks in U Minh District’s An Xuyen Commune had also tested positive.

Authorities in the province had culled 4,400 birds from 25 farming households by Wednesday.

So far this year, bird flu has hit 31 communes in 16 districts in the nine provinces of Thanh Hoa, Thai Nguyen, Ca Mau, Soc Trang, Nghe An, Hau Giang, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh and Quang Tri.

Over 30,000 fowl, including around 11,500 chickens, contracted the disease.

In related news, police in northern Lang Son Province Wednesday seized 3,000 kilograms of chicken meat being smuggled from China on two trucks, Vietnam News Agency reported.

They were stopped in Lang Son Town and Cao Loc District, each with 1,500 kg.

Reported by Tran Thanh Phong

Provide by Vietnam Travel

Bac Lieu scrambles to stamp out bird flu - Health - News |  vietnam travel company

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