Vietnam: H5N1 Is Back

Bird flu is raging in some places that many people who spread fear
From the beginning of the year the country recorded seven cases of influenza A/H5N1 virus, including two fatal cases in Tien Giang and Binh Duong. In our country, influenza A/H5N1 in humans were reported from January 12-2003 and since then has recorded scattered in many localities.

Higher risk of outbreaks every year
In three years, each year the country recorded from 5 to 8 cases of influenza A/H5N1 virus infection and the mortality rate from 70% to 100%. From 2003 to date has infected 119 people, including 60 deaths. Currently our country is still among the countries with more deaths in the world because influenza A/H5N1.
According to the evaluation of scientists, the characteristics of influenza A/H5N1 in Vietnam remains a displaced distribution of each individual case, non-beam assemblies. H5N1 flu is very complex evolution and mechanisms of disease transmission is inhalation or eating, that is when people are exposed to sick poultry, egg products, such as illness, eating poultry sick ...
Thus, the avian flu is back in a series of localities such as Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ha Tinh will be favorable to the spread of influenza A/H5N1. Especially laboratory, Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) has detected a flow rate of ducks infected with bird flu in an average of 4.2% this year while poultry increased to 16%, making the risk of an outbreak would be higher than usual.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tran Hien, director of the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, despite concerns that from March to now our country is not recorded new cases of influenza A/H5N1, but this risk in outbreak People are very high.

From actual influenza A/H5N1 outbreaks occurred over the years, many scientists have warned if not timely prevent the spread of influenza A/H5N1 virus in poultry and aquatic birds are very easily lead to influenza A/H5N1 in humans.

Especially during New Year demand for trade access, transport and slaughter of poultry increased, cold and wet weather are ideal conditions for virus growth and spread to humans.

More deaths due to subjective
Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, deputy director of Tropical Disease Hospital Central Committee, said recently to the examination of patients with flu symptoms are many but not identified any cases of influenza A/H5N1 infection.

However, experts fear that the illness is very similar to the H1N1 influenza A/H5N1 (have lung damage due to acute respiratory distress syndrome), it is difficult to distinguish. While the risk of dying of influenza A/H5N1 is very high, so the patients who need to know the history of the patient to notify the treatment facility.
Patients with or without exposure to eat meat and poultry at risk before onset is considered the basic elements to distinguish influenza A/H1N1 and A/H5N1, A/H5N1 flu patients due mainly to spread from country bird flu H1N1 infection is also spread from person to person.

Dr Nguyen Tran Hien, the system of national influenza surveillance is maintained in the locality. Through the influenza virus isolated from clinical specimens is not currently see the genetic modification of influenza A/H5N1 virus in our country.
While the evaluation of experts, most cases of death from influenza A/H5N1 are subjective family brought to health facilities late, be very severe disease events, severe lung injury, not due to toxicity of strains of influenza A/H5N1 virus was altered.

No slaughtering of poultry diseases using
Ministry of Health warned, when detecting infected poultry, slaughter and death not be used, but must immediately notify the local authorities for timely handling, no shipping and selling of poultry of unknown origin, particularly especially in areas with outbreaks in poultry, ensure cooked, boiled drinking, washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet.
Especially, when the symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath related to avian influenza, they must immediately go to the nearest medical facility to be examined and treated promptly.