Provinces and cities nationwide are closely supervising the developments regarding avian influenza H5N1 and H7N9 and implementing various measures to prevent and minimise the epidemic’s effects.

In the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, 70,000 doses of bird flu vaccine have been delivered to Kon Tum city, and the three districts of Ngoc Hoi, Dak Ha and Sa Thay, for the first inoculation phase in the province.

Local veterinarians along with the people and authorities are monitoring poultry trading in traditional markets and wholesale markets, tightening the quarantine process on imported and exported poultry and its products.

Veterinary departments have maintained three check-points at the main gateway to the province as well as coordinated with customs and border guard forces along the border with Cambodia to supervise poultry transportation and prevent smuggling.

In the southeastern province of Binh Phuoc, no unusual sign related to the epidemic has been detected in birds raised for commercial purposes, Le Minh Ly, Deputy Director of the province’s Veterinary Department said on April 24.

The department has instructed its affiliates to strengthen preventive measures against diseases on poultry and domestic-bred animals, particularly the inspection of the raising of birds in order to early detect any unusual signs.

The quarantine stations in the two districts of Tan Lap and Chon Thanh and Hoa Lu border gate will strictly follow quarantine process for animals and their products imported into the locality as well as strictly punish violations of transportation regulations.

Meanwhile, central Khanh Hoa province has vaccinated more than 1 million poultry against avian influenza H5N1.

With the largest flock of salangane birds in the country, Khanh Hoa province are imposing strict supervision and tight management on farms as well as implementing disinfection activities at these places.

The province also recommended the farms to report early any unusual signs of their bird flocks.
At the same time, the Central Highlands of Dak Nong has approved a 4.5 billion VND (approximately 215,000 USD) allocation for the prevention of bird flu.

In addition to the current measures, the veterinary departments will maintain a hot line to receive the updated from people and businesses.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said on April 23 that no cases of avian influenza H7N9 had been found in humans or poultry in Vietnam.-VNA