Friday, December 26, 2008

Vietnam: Ministry issues bird-flu instructions

(26-12-2008)
HA NOI — The Ministry of Health has sent urgent instructions for the strengthening of avian flu prevention to all the 63 provincial and city health departments.

The instructions were intended to strengthen the prevention of the H5N1 virus following regional developments among both birds and humans, the ministry’s Administration of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health (APMEH) director Nguyen Huy Nga said yesterday.

All provinces and cities had been asked to implement epidemic control where avian flu had been found in poultry and strive for the early detection of suspected H5N1 infection to ensure immediate quarantine and control, he said.

The strict control of visitors arriving through border gateways from places where avian flu had occurred was also sought.

Health ministry figures show that five people have been infected with the H5N1 virus this year and all died.

Although the last death was in April, scientists warn that the deadly virus could return.

Viet Nam has diagnosed 106 H5N1-infected patients in 36 provinces and cities since the virus was first reported in December 2003. Of these, 52 died. — VNS

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