Vietnam on alert as bird flu spreads

[Guest guest]

Vietnam on alert as bird flu spreads

by Zeller Wed Jan 3, 5:21 AM ET

HANOI (AFP) - Vietnamese and

United Nations animal health experts have warned of a heightened bird

flu threat after the virus was detected in poultry flocks in the

country's south and centre in recent weeks.

Vietnam has reported no new human cases since late 2005 after

suffering 42 deaths in two years, but cold weather, bird migration and

an upcoming seasonal peak in chicken consumption all increase the risk

of a resurgence, they said Wednesday.

Avian influenza has broken out among ducks or chicken in 26 communes

across southern Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Hau Giang provinces over the past

month, causing thousands of bird deaths and the slaughter of nearly

30,000 animals.

Officials have since vaccinated 700,000 illegally raised fowl not

covered in twice-yearly vaccination drives, said Deputy Agriculture

Minister Bui Ba Bong.

The disease was also detected in early December in a spot check in

Vietnam's central Quang Nam province where three quarters of a sample

of 30 unvaccinated ducks tested positive, animal health officials said.

Hoang Van Nam, the deputy head of the national animal health

department, said bird flu alerts had been issued for five more

northern and central provinces.

" We are very concerned about the test results in Quang Nam, " he told

AFP. " We have carried out tests and will do more, but the situation is

worrisome. "

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said it was " closely

monitoring " the situation and testing virus samples, but stressed

there was no cause for panic as most of Vietnam's poultry had been

vaccinated.

" It looks as if there is no sign that the vaccination is breaking

down, and the government is doing everything to maintain the impetus

and to continue to vaccinate, " said FAO country chief Speedy.

But he said the bird flu risk rose in colder winter months and around

the traditional Tet New Year's celebrations in mid-February, when

chicken consumption and the movement of people across the country peak.

The FAO's technical advisor on bird flu in Vietnam, Jeff Gilbert, said

the latest cases " again confirm that the virus is circulating, and to

say we have vaccinated enough or that the problem is over would be

absolutely premature. "

Bird flu's global human death toll of 157 since 2003 is low compared

to that of many other diseases, but epidemiologists fear the virus

could mutate to more easily spread to or between people and trigger a

human pandemic.

Gilbert said that the FAO had offered its support to Vietnam at a

meeting Wednesday and would test samples of the virus in its regional

laboratories to check for changes at the molecular level.

Vietnam has achieved praise for containing H5N1 through mass culls and

vaccinations, bans on live poultry markets and public education. The

World Bank this week announced 10 million dollars in additional

funding to fight bird flu.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung this month ordered 11 ministers to head

bird flu control task forces across Vietnam, and the government has

launched a nationwide campaign for January to enforce food and farm

hygiene.

http://news./s/afp/20070103/hl_afp/healthfluvietnam_070103102135