VietNamNet Bridge – The Animal Health Agency has said that from the beginning of the year, bird flu has appeared in 90 communes and districts of 33 provinces and cities in Vietnam. Of over 200,000 infected poultry, half of them are dead.

According to Pham Van Dong, the agency’s director, compared with the first half of last year, both the geographical area affected by the bird flu and the level of danger have increased. The number of communes with bird flu has grown nearly five-fold and the volume of poultry being culled rose by a factor of 3.4. The disease appears to be scattered throughout the provinces of Vietnam, but it is focused more in the south and the southern part of the central region. It is infecting mainly ducks and chickens, with some quails also infected.

Although the disease has been controlled, the head of the Animal Health Department has warned that later this year the epidemic may break out again in a number of high risk areas.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam has asked local governments to continue preventive methods against bird flu at the grassroots level.

Bird flu outbreaks are caused by adverse and unusual weather in Vietnam this year, such as frost in the northern provinces or unusually cold weather in the south, which reduces the resistance of poultry. In addition, the transportation of poultry for slaughter before the Tet holiday was also a factor leading to the outbreak.

As reported by the Veterinary Health Department, in the first quarter there were 48 locations in 10 provinces with foot and mouth epidemic, affecting over 2,000 cattle. By May 5, the three provinces of Ha Tinh, Yen Bai and Kon Tum still had foot and mouth epidemic.

In addition, a number of other diseases in cattle, including rabies, cholera, haemorrhagic septicemia, and paratyphoid have also appeared scattered in many places.

Diseases in aquatic farms also have developed this year.

Thu Ly