Bird flu has made its way back to Vinh Long Province this year as provincial animal health officials on Wednesday found duck samples positive for H5N1 virus.

The officials Thursday destroyed the remaining 900 ducklings in the flock.

None of the 13-day-old ducks had been vaccinated.

Vo Van Theo, head of the district’s Agriculture and Rural Development, said his officials have begun tallying and vaccinating poultry in the commune and neighboring Thanh Trung Commune.

According to the Ministry of Health, provinces are considered bird flu-free once no cases have been detected for 21 days.

Around 13 provinces nationwide have reported bird flu cases this year, with four people infected - all fatally. They were two adults in northern provinces Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh, a three-year-old in the Mekong Delta’s Dong Thap Province and another adult from the north central province of Thanh Hoa last month.

Reported by Son Cua