Avian influenza re-emerges in Vietnam

The first outbreak appeared on December 6 in Khanh Hung commune, Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province, killing more than 2,500 poultry. One day later, Bac Lieu province also had 3,500 ducks died. According to the Department of Animal Health, people dispose of sick bird carcasses into canals, so it is possible that the pathogen has spread.

At the meeting of the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Prevention, on the afternoon of December 19, Veterinary Director Hoang Van Nam said that all poultry and waterfowl were more than 1 month old, illegally hatched and not vaccinated against vaccines . Test results positive for H5N1 influenza virus.

'Because people dispose of sick poultry in the canals for a long time (5 days), so it does not exclude the possibility that the pathogen has spread widely,' said Mr. Nam.

According to the Department of Animal Health, the weather is changing to the cold season, which is a favorable condition for influenza virus to multiply and spread. On the other hand, the second phase flu vaccination work has been completed, but in fact many flocks, mainly illegally hatched ducks, have not been injected. People's subjectivity is also a factor that increases the likelihood of outbreaks. After nearly a year of no recurrence of the new bird flu outbreak, the people and the authorities have developed a distracting and subjective psychology.

Thousands of poultry have died in the Mekong Delta.(Photo: PV)

In the afternoon of December 19, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat made a request to Chairman of People's Committees of provinces, cities, leaders of ministries and departments to consolidate and restore the operation of the Steering Committee. fight against epidemics at all levels, organize weekly briefings to grasp the situation and unify the administration; prepared forces, chemicals, supplies and finance to serve the anti-epidemic work.

Veterinary forces should organize outbreak investigation and strengthen supervision, early detection when the epidemic is still in a narrow area to quickly encircle, extinguish and not spread. The control of transporting, trading, slaughtering poultry and poultry products, combating poultry smuggling, stopping waterfowl hatchery needs to be rectified in time .

Minister Phat also requested the Department of Animal Health to quickly check the situation of the epidemic, and have a quick report to the Minister to report to the Prime Minister as soon as possible.

In January this year, Vietnam announced the end of bird flu.

Hong Khanh