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Bird flu spreads wide in seven provinces of Vietnam

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-11 11:32

HANOI -- Bird flu is raging in seven provinces of Vietnam with two newly-reported bird flu stricken provinces of central Quang Tri and northern Bac Ninh, said the Department of Animal Health of Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development here on Wednesday.

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In Quang Tri, the virus attacked a local farm, leading to the culling of 250 ducks of a flock of 1,000, said the department.

Meanwhile, bird flu was broken out in northern Bac Ninh province when unvaccinated ducks tested positive to the H5N1 virus, an official from the department told Xinhua without revealing details on number of dead ducks.

The local animal health agencies are taking drastic measures to put out the spread of avian flu.

So far, seven provinces of Vietnam nationwide have been hit by avian flu, including three provinces in Mekong Delta, namely Ca Mau, Soc Trang and Hau Giang, two northern provinces of newly- confirmed Bac Ninh and Quang Ninh, and two central provinces of Nghe An and the newly-confirmed Quang Tri, said the department.

Amid the ongoing breaking out of the disease, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent an urgent message to people's committees of all levels across the country to urge them take immediate action to prevent the spread of bird flu which has hit seven provinces in the country.

The Prime Minister also asked localities to make public information of bird flu cases both in fowl and human, closely control infected areas, and ban transport of poultry.