Biological Hazard - Vietnam

GLIDE CODE: BH-2006-08-30-7407-VNM
Date & Time: 2006-08-30 12:00:55 [UTC]
Area: Vietnam , , Hanoi ( MAP)

Description:

Vietnam has said the H5 strain of bird flu virus had been detected in a flock of ducks in a Hanoi suburb, raising fears of a resurgence of the deadly H5N1 virus in the communist country. On Monday, "two ducks sold in Tan Trieu market, Thanh Tri district, tested positive" to the H5 strain, said Nguyen Van Cam, director of the National Center for Animal Health Diagnosis in Hanoi. Five ducks were tested, all of them in good health. The N component of the virus has yet to be identified but the H5N1 virus that has killed 42 people in Vietnam since late 2003 is now considered endemic in the country. The official said prevention measures would be stepped up in the capital to avoid the virus spreading and curtail further human infections.

"We will take every month a hundred samples of poultry sold in Hanoi markets to carry out tests. We have already reinforced controls." The trade of live poultry in Hanoi inner district is theorically forbidden but the ban is poorly enforced. "This discovery shows that the virus is still circulating among poultry, especially waterfowl," said Hoang Van Nam, deputy head of the agriculture ministry's Animal Health Department, calling for higher vigilance. The geographic origins of the ducks could not be established, he said, adding a disinfection campaign would be carried out around Hanoi in September. Vietnam said Saturday the H5N1 strain of bird flu had been detected in a flock of ducks in the southern Mekong Delta. Ducks and other waterfowl can carry and spread the virus without showing symptoms themselves. The Southeast Asian country is the worst hit by the disease after Indonesia, but it has reported no new human cases this year. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung last week urg! ed local authorities to increase their vigilance and be on the lookout for illegal poultry imports from virus-hit neighbouring countries.

Damage level: Moderate