An online meeting took place in Ha Noi on Tuesday to discuss measures to control avian flu strains as well as to cope with bird-to-human transmission of the deadly influenza viruses.  The meeting was organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.  In Da Nang, the Director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Tran Dinh Quynh, was a participant. 

According to Viet Nam’s Department of Animal Health, the H5N1 epidemic has so far spread to the provinces of Dak Lak, Long An, Kon Tum, Ca Mau, Tay Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, Nam Đinh, Phu Yen, Lao Cai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.  A total of 24 locations infected with the avian flu have been identified, and over 30,000 heads of poultry have been destroyed.

Spraying disinfectant at a poultry farm

Most notably, the dangerous A/H7N9 bird flu is raging in Chinese localities bordering Viet Nam.  Since the start of the year, a total of 190 cases of the influenza, including 19 deaths, have been reported in China.  Viet Nam is at high risk of the A/H7N9 strain due to the current cross-border illegal poultry trade.

Da Nang has a total of 377,000 chickens, 53,759 ducks and over 330,000 quails, and all are currently free of the A/H7N9 bird flu.  Director Quynh urged local relevant agencies to take strong measures to cope with any outbreaks of the epidemic which might occur in the city.