Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long on April 15 asked northern Bac Giang province to thwart poultry smuggling in a bid to prevent the spread of bird flu, types H5N1 and H7N9, as the locality is where smuggled, un-quarantined poultry are gathered before going to Hanoi and other localities.

At his working session with the provincial leaders, Long said that local authorised agencies must resolutely crack down on those who trade smuggled fowls and at the same time strengthen supervision over breeds and feeds in the locality.

Bac Giang, which faces high risks of bird influenza infection, was urged to promptly approve a plan to deal with the new strain of H7N9 virus and make all necessary preparations in terms of human resources, medical equipment, and treatment procedures in case the virus arrives.

Director of the provincial Department of Health Ong The Vien said that the province’s health sector will intensify the popularisation of information on avian influenza risks to local people, and hold training courses on diagnosis and treatment of the H7N9 virus for medical staff.

The same day, the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hanoi issued an inter-departmental plan on H7N9 prevention to deal with the possible spread of this disease.

Accordingly, the city’s departments will coordinate to supervise the trade of poultry, carry out the inoculation for 7 million fowls, and popularise efficient disinfecting measures among poultry breeders.

The municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will also spend nearly 13 billion VND on managing the slaughter of cattle and poultry in the city.-VNA