Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Nguyen Xuan Cuong on February 13 urged localities to keep closewatch for the early detection and swift settlement of any avian influenzaoutbreaks.
Due attention should be paid to small-scale farming households whichhave high risks of bird flu, the official said at a conference in Hanoi.
He pointed out that the fight against avian influenza is facing difficultiesfrom extreme weather patterns, increased transportation activities andtraditional slaughter methods.
The minister urged provinces to carry out large-scale disinfectionand review their vaccine demand in order to propose the Government providevaccines from the national stock.
The Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development (MARD) reported that as of February 11, ten outbreaks ofavian influenza caused by the A/H5N6 strain had been reported nationwide. Up to43,202 poultry had been culled in Hanoi and Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa andNghe An provinces.
A/H5N6 avian flu is now under control with most outbreaksoccurring at small-scale farming households, but it is forecast to developcomplicatedly and may affect public health in the time ahead, especially in thecontext of spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novelcoronavirus (COVID-19).
According to Nguyen Huy Dang, Deputy Director of the HanoiDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development, the capital city destroyedmore than 6,800 poultry infected with A/H5N6.
To curb the spread of avian flu, Hanoi has tightened themanagement of livestock breeding and slaughtering, expanded vaccination andsped up the formation of concentrated slaughterhouses, he said.
Pham Van Dong, head of the Department of Animal Health, suggestedsending working groups to localities to inspect and guide disease preventionand control, allocating more resources to the work, closely supervising thetrade of poultry and poultry products and strictly handling violations.
To ensure the supply of influenza vaccines, the MARD has producedsome important types like CGC Navet-Vifluvac and Navet-Fluvac 2, while helpingbusinesses with the production.
According to the Animal Health Department, Vietnam has yet torecord any cases of human infection with A/H5N6./.
VNA