VietNamNet Bridge – The Department of Animal Health (DAH) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has warned about the threat of bird flu outbreak following one A/H5N6 bird flu outbreak recorded in the past 21 days in Dai Ban Commune, An Duong District, in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Animal health workers give vaccination to poultries. Stronger management is needed to prevent bird flu from breaking out in the country. — VNA/VNS Photo

According to a report of the Hai Phong Animal Health Division, the disease first broke out in a farm belonging to Mai Van Tinh. Tình raised 3,200 poultries, of which nearly 3,000 chickens tested positive for A/H5N6 virus. The 200 ducks were not affected as they had been vaccinated.

Tinh bought the chickens from the northern province of Thai Nguyen without any quarantine papers and did not give them any vaccine. When they started dying, Tinh did not report it to the local authorities and culled the birds by himself.

After discovering the case, the Hai Phong Animal Health Division culled the remaining chickens and sprayed chemicals to sterilise the infected area.

DAH said the chances of the disease spreading the next time were high. It recommended localities to take steps to prevent the disease, punish farmers for illegal poultry import and monitor farms to detect the disease in time.

The country has also witnessed cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Song Ma, Bac Yen and Phu Yen districts in the northern mountainous province of Son La. DAH confirmed there was high risk of the disease’s outbreak in animals that had not been vaccinated.

DAH said local authorities should keep a close watch on livestock transport and slaughter work to limit the risk. 

Source: VNS