Duck carcasses in the northern province of Bac Ninh tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus Tuesday after central animal health authorities warned that preventative measures were too lax at the local level.

Local authorities had already culled a flock of ducks on another farm in the commune after large numbers of fowl died Monday.

The H5N1 virus, which causes avian flu, has infected ducks and chickens in the provinces of Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Hau Giang, Soc Trang and Ca Mau this year while foot-and-mouth disease has spread to cattle in Son La, Hoa Binh, Quang Binh, Kon Tum and Long An provinces.

Animal health authorities have warned that the disease could easily spread from Quang Binh and Kon Tum to other nearby provinces.

Soc Trang Province animal health agencies reported Tuesday that bird flu had spread to Tai Van and Vien Binh communes in My Xuyen District and Vinh Bien Commune in Nga Nam District. The province has destroyed some 2,000 birds this year.

In Hau Giang Province, animal health agencies reported H5N1 had struck three flocks, a total of 2,200 ducks, in Vi Thuy District Tuesday.

All the ducks have been destroyed.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development began working with local authorities Tuesday to curb the illegal trade of live chickens and ducks and the illegal transport of the animals into the city.

The city’s animal health agency reported that illegal traders had been operating in districts 6, 8, 12, Go Vap, Tan Phu and Binh Tan.

The agency’s deputy head Phan Xuan Thao said related authorities hadn’t cooperated effectively enough in fighting illegal trading, while some traders had stealthily thwarted the agency’s raids.

Vice Chairman of Go Vap District’s People’s Committee Truong Dang Hung said the traders often hid their chickens in their houses and locked the doors. Animal health agencies were not allowed to ask the residents to open the doors as only police can do that, he said.

“Some traders even attacked the inspectors,” he said.

He added that there had been three such attacks since last year, but none of the perpetrators had faced criminal charges.

HCMC authorities have temporarily prohibited the household breeding of chickens and ducks, but many families in districts 9, 12, Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Nha Be and Thu Duc have ignored the ban.

The Thu Duc Animal Health Bureau has seized more than 480 live chickens and ducks during raids on families and traders this year.

In the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, the People’s Committee is working with the local police department to investigate the cause of the foot-and-mouth disease in the province.

The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that the disease had originated in cattle that local authorities had granted to residents as part of a poverty eradication project.

A total of 111 cows and buffalo in Kon Tum, which had been bought in Long An Province’s Duc Hoa District on January 1, had not been quarantined for 21 days before the sale as regulated, the department said.

The department said the disease was first found in the province in 10 cattle in Ngoc Hoi and Dak Glei districts before spreading to others. Local vets have treated 180 individual animals, while 101 others have been destroyed.

Source: TN, Agencies