Laos warned against bird flu risk

Laos warned against bird flu risk

Xayxana Leukai Vientiane Times Publication Date : 17-01-2012

The Vientiane Health Department has advised vendors to be extremely vigilant and sell only healthy poultry, hoping to avert a bird flu outbreak after recent reports of the virus in other Asian countries. The warning comes as the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year approaches, when thousands of families will buy extra ducks and chickens for celebratory meals. The bird flu virus is typically prevalent during periods of cooler weather, so the department is calling for special precautions to be taken. Department Deputy Director General Dr Phonepaseuth Ounaphom told Vientiane Times yesterday that medical staff had been advised to closely monitor the number of flu cases reported before, during and after the New Year. "In order to avoid health issues and in particular an outbreak of the H5N1 virus which is more likely to occur when temperatures drop, we have asked our staff to be on the alert for symptoms of the virus over the New Year," he said. The department has also asked the authorities to closely inspect poultry on sale at Vientiane's four main markets--Sikhay, Khuadin, Nongniew and Thongkhankham. Medical staff and veterinarians from Vientiane's nine districts have been recommended to press upon vendors the importance of selling only healthy birds. Phonepaseuth said the public should not buy unhealthy looking birds and if they see any on sale they should immediately inform officials at the Ministry of Health or Agriculture and Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. To guard against bird flu or any infectious virus or bacteria (such as botulism and salmonella), different chopping boards should be used when preparing raw or cooked meat and poultry. The boards should be regularly disinfected, all meat and poultry should be well cooked, and anyone in contact with food of any sort must make sure their hands are clean. Although there hasn't been an outbreak of bird flu in Laos since 2007, health officials are on the alert and the public has been made aware of the dangers of the H5N1 virus. It is believed that the virus originated in Hong Kong in 1997. Following a report of outbreaks of avian influenza in China and Vietnam, the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology last week advised medical experts throughout the country to raise public awareness of the possibility of an outbreak and the safeguards to be taken. The centre's Director Dr Phengta Vongphrachanh said the situation was being monitored nationwide.