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After more than a year without reporting a human case, Vietnam now seems to be in the midst of a resurgence of H5N1. Two weeks ago a abattoir worker was diagnosed with bird flu, and last week, a second victim was identified, along with two suspect cases.
Yesterday, two more cases with clinical symptoms matching H5N1 were admitted to hospitals, and are now awaiting tests. Meanwhile, the spread of the virus in poultry continues, with at least 14 provinces reportedly affected.
In a bid to halt this outbreak, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has ordered a massive vaccination and/or culling operation to run through the end of this month, where all waterfowl in the country must either be inoculated, or culled.
This from the THANH NIEN News.
Hanoi hospital reports new suspected human cases of bird flu
Two people were admitted Monday with distinct clinical signs of bird flu, doctors at Hanoi’s National Institute for Tropical Diseases said.
Samples from the two Thai Nguyen province residents were being tested for the deadly H5N1 virus strain, they said.
It has infected two people in the country recently and killed 42 since 2003. One of the two worked for a slaughterhouse in Hanoi and was admitted to the same institute May 26.
His condition was improving, doctors said.
Bird flu has resurfaced among poultry in 14 provinces and Can Tho city since last month.
The health ministry sought the cooperation of health and veterinary centers Monday in monitoring bird flu outbreaks among poultry.
The Animal Health Department said 129 million birds had been vaccinated against the disease this year with 41 out of the country’s 64 provinces and cities completing the first phase of a vaccination campaign.
Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat has called for targeting all waterfowl flocks.
Ducks and geese can carry the virus without showing they are sick, making it harder to detect. They then spread the virus through their droppings as they roam from one rice field to another.
The virus has infected more than 300 people in 12 countries, 187 of whom have died, the World Health Organization has said.
Most human cases have involved people in contact with infected fowl. Experts fear if an easy means of transmission between humans develops, there could be a pandemic affecting millions.
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