Bird flu reappears in poultry, no human cases yet

04/12/2008

VietNamNet Bridge – Bird flu has appeared in the southernmost province of Ca Mau and central Nghe An Province, but no new cases of humans contracting avian influenza A (H5N1) have so far been reported.

Bird flu has appeared in the southernmost province of Ca Mau and central Nghe An Province.

This announcement was made by Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, Head of the Department for Preventive Medicine and Environment, during a meeting of the National Steering Board on the Control of Flu Pandemics in Humans in Hanoi on Dec. 3.

The medical official warned that, due to the conducive weather conditions and the unpredictable development of the bird flu epidemic in poultry, there is a high risk of humans becoming infected by avian influenza A (H5N1).
(more)


The Health Ministry is working alongside the four Pasteur Institutes nationwide and Preventive Medical Centres in all provinces to monitor the progression of the disease, particularly in the affected localities and those with a history of epidemic outbreaks.

The ministry also organised eight training courses for the country’s three regions and provided communication equipment and protective clothing to a number of cities and provinces to help them effectively prepare to tackle an epidemic.

The ministry also plans to hold more epidemic prevention training courses in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Dak Lak, and organise additional courses for preventive medical workers in eight cities and provinces, namely Ha Noi, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Lang Son, Dac Lac, Dong Thap and Thua Thien-Hue.

So far this year, Viet Nam has suffered five human H5N1 fatalities in Tuyen Quang, Hai Duong, Phu Tho, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh. The most recent case of human avian influenza A (H5N1) infection was on March 4 2008.