Bird flu outbreaks in neighbouring nations prompt action
An urgent meeting was held in Hanoi on February 20 to discuss measures to prevent avian influenza viruses, especially A/H7N9, which are spreading in some neighbouring countries.
Spreading lime powder to prevent diseases at a chicken farm (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi(VNA) – An urgent meeting was held in Hanoi on February 20 to discuss measuresto prevent avian influenza viruses, especially A/H7N9, which are spreading insome neighbouring countries.
Director of the Health Ministry’s Department ofPreventive Medicine Tran Dac Phu cited the World Health Organisation as sayingthat the A/H7N9 virus is raging in 14 provinces and cities of China with asharp rise in incidences and a high mortality rate (about 40 percent). FromOctober 6, 2016, to February 19 this year, China recorded 425 people withA/H7N9, mostly in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces which border Vietnam.
Last January, some hotbeds of A/H5N1 in poultrywere reported in the Cambodian province of Svay Rieng, which also bordersVietnam, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.
There is a high risk that these bird flu viruseswill enter Vietnam, Phu said.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long saidavian influenza viruses, especially A/H7N9, are likely to enter Vietnam ifeffective preventive measures are not taken.
He asked the health sector and relevantministries and agencies to carry out preventative measures to prepare for allcircumstances. The agriculture sector should monitor poultry-related epidemics,thoroughly deal with hotbeds, and share information with health agencies.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade,the Ministry of Public Security and the border guard force need to prevent fowlsmuggling and deal with illegal poultry business activities strictly.
Long also requested the National Institute ofHygiene and Epidemiology and Pasteur institutes in the central and southernregions to focus on suspected cases in localities bordering countries with birdflu outbreaks.
In 2016, Vietnam recorded A/H5N1 outbreaks inpoultry in seven communes and wards of six districts and townships in Nghe Anprovince, Ca Mau province and Can Tho city. There haven’t been any A/H5N1outbreaks in 2017, according to the Preventive Medicine Department.
The flu viruses of A/H7N9, A/H5N8 and A/H5N1have yet to be reported in humans in Vietnam. The A/H3N2 and A/H1N1 viruses andtype B viruses are seasonal influenza viruses in the country.-VNA
The southwest province of Tay Ninh has directed all local authorities of its border districts to take immediate steps to prevent the spread of H5N1 bird flu and foot and mouth disease from Cambodia.
Dien Chau district in central Nghe An province has stepped up preventive measures against A/H5N1 avian flu after hundreds of ducks were found infected with the disease last week.
Communicable diseases from around the world could enter Vietnam and spread easily if the country does not improve prevention and control, said Tran Dac Phu, Director of the Ministry of Health’s Preventive Medicine Department.
Vietnam has so far recorded no infections of human A/H7N9 avian flu, however, the country is promoting efforts to prevent the entry of virus, which caused a new outbreak in neighbouring China.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued an urgent notice requiring strong measures to prevent avian influenza viruses including H7N9 from entering Vietnam.
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Spreading lime powder to prevent diseases at a chicken farm (Photo: VNA) 
