Spraying sterilisers in a farm (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Localities nationwide should actively brace themselves for a possible avian flu outbreak before and after the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, said an official.
Phan Van Dong, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Animal Health, made the call during a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Prevention in Hanoi on January 27.
According to the department, the country recorded five A/H5N6 virus hotbeds in Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, Tuyen Quang and Lang Son provinces as of January 27, with 3,544 heads of cattle affected and 6,720 culled.
On the occasion, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat asked affected cities and provinces to pool all possible resources to combat the epidemic via inoculation, temporary suspension of cattle trading across the border, decontamination and close monitoring over areas at high risk of infection.
In a separate issue, there are 27 hotbeds of cattle foot-and-mouth disease in the northern provinces of Lang Son, Son La, Cao Bang and Bac Kan, the central province of Ha Tinh and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.
They were also requested to raise public awareness of cattle raising and trading in line with regulations, as well as food safety and hygiene practices.-VNA
