Mekong River Delta: Urgently vaccinate new birds to re-herd

* Dong Thap: Prawns re-flock near the border soared

In early 2007, the fight against Avian Influenza (CGC) was in hot weather. Many of the terms ' anti-epidemic ' such as ' anti-storm ' or ' anti-epidemic such as anti-fire ' . have shown the level of urgency and the importance of preventing CGC in the Mekong Delta. However, in addition to the drastic measures to stamp out CGC, we need to take active defense measures to ensure the safety of tens of millions of poultry flocks in the Mekong Delta.

Veterinary staff urgently destroy infected poultry(Photo: SGGP)

Chairman of Bac Lieu Cao Anh Loc said that by January 2, Bac Lieu province had 14 communes of 5 districts appearing CGC outbreak.

Among them, 3 new districts were Phuoc Long, Gia Rai and Vinh Loi. By this time, Bac Lieu had more than 30 infected poultry died with a total of dead poultry and forced to destroy more than 14,000 children.

Almost all of the previously detected outbreaks in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Hau Giang were found in duck flocks.

However, the outbreak was discovered and recorded with CGC infection in Vi Thuy, Hau Giang 2 days ago (January 1) is considered a new and most disturbing development in the Mekong Delta, when it occurs. in a family raising 34 chickens infected with CGC. More worrisome, the two localities discovered CGC in Hau Giang and Long Thuy and two places with 4 deaths due to CGC in 2004-2005.

On January 2 afternoon, Mr. Nguyen Hien Trung, Head of Hau Giang Veterinary Department, analyzed: We almost eliminate the spread of CGC drive from Long My to Vi Thuy. The cause of CGC drive on chickens in Vi Thuy can be spread by infected bird droppings; or because this is an unvaccinated bird should encounter a susceptible pathogen .

Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, Director of Hau Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: On January 2, Hau Giang did not discover any new CGC outbreak. From 3 to 10/1, will vaccinate 600,000 more newly re-flocked birds. Particularly Long My poultry flock (born the first CGC drive in Hau Giang), 15,000 doses of vaccine were injected.

The rapid spread of the spread has been predicted because copper-feeding ducks will quickly spread germs on a large scale. Many experts in the world said that: Prevention of CGC in the field of copper ducks in the Mekong Delta is the most difficult. The way to ' run the field ' to spread to the field is almost a ' unique ' habit.

It is also a headache for leaders of the agricultural sector. 'An Giang province has been locked up and closed for back and forth birds with the Cambodian border' - Mr. Huynh The Nang, Vice Chairman of An Giang Provincial People's Committee, announced.

According to him, the blocking of copper ducks to cross the border area is favorable, because farmers have almost sowed the winter-spring rice, creating a green carpet to prevent the duck running.

In Dong Thap, CGC did not happen in 2006 but the risk of CGC in 2007 was very high. The reason is that hundreds of households living along two border districts of Tan Hong and Hong Ngu (bordering Cambodia) re-flock hundreds of thousands of waterfowl 20-30 days old, preparing to run the field when the winter-spring crop is finished early. Meanwhile, local authorities cannot control.

The unfocused trading and slaughtering is very common and difficult to control; the duck runs rampant; the vaccination for bird flu vaccine in 2006 has not reached the required rate .

The fact is that for a long time, the localities have complied with the rules of banning hatching new poultry, so there is a lack of strict control. Its inevitable consequences: New poultry farmers are seen as 'smuggled', so they must evade vaccination if they don't want to be destroyed! And this flaw is almost the main cause of the CGC mass outbreak in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Hau Giang.

To this reality, An Giang province is urgently deploying 5 CGC urgent measures : Strengthening communication; disinfection hygiene disinfection; vaccination for poultry; control of slaughtering and management of poultry products; support breeding models towards biosecurity.

In particular, will manage and vaccinate new poultry hatched in the oven. This is considered as a measure to block holes right from the output of poultry. However, it is necessary to take into account cases of raising and hatching poultry at home! Mr. Huynh The Nang said: It is very important to support and guide people to raise poultry in the direction of biosafety.

In the immediate future, in order to quickly control CGC thoroughly, it is necessary to support people to change their farming skills in the field of running ducks to other jobs; proceed to expand safe biological breeding models to restore and sustainably develop poultry flocks in the Mekong Delta.

Localities recognize that the network of sector officials is too thin and weak; The consolidation and supplementation of grassroots veterinary forces is urgent. Veterinary staff is the core force in the CGC service. Their work in the CGC season almost overwhelmed.

In the past two years, many people have been working during the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, Kien Giang and An Giang have more than 40 communes without veterinary staff. Meanwhile, district veterinary stations lack 1-3 staff. An Giang province will immediately add 4 veterinarians to an empty commune, and at the same time increase 2-3 officials / District Veterinary Station to prevent CGC.

An Giang's way of doing things is also fundamental solutions for ' defending ' and obstructing the current gaps in CGC prevention in the Mekong Delta.

According to the Ca Mau Department of Animal Health, in January 2, the province did not detect any more dead ducks.This is considered the first day, after 20 days Ca Mau did not detect dead birds.

There are currently 9 serum samples awaiting test results, in 8 communes, 4 districts, including both unexplained districts of Phu Tan and Cai Nuoc.

Mr. Huynh Trung Kien, Acting Director of Ca Mau Health Department, said: 4/5 suspected CGC patients were discharged on the afternoon of January 2. These four patients are: Do Thi Hoa, 37 years old; Nguyen Phuong Dong, 13 years old; Nguyen Van Ty, 7 years old and Nguyen Dang Phu, 3 years old - with a family in Lam Hai commune, Nam Can district.

The other patient was Mr. Truong Thanh Long, 73 years old, Nha May A hamlet, Khanh Hung commune, Tran Van Thoi district (hospitalized on December 27, 2006) and recovered his health.Previously, all patients above had negative test results for influenza A (H5N1).