Two members of a family in My Tu district, Soc Trang province, showed signs of hard breathing after having eaten chicken, according to the provincial veterinary agency on December 29. They were taken to the provincial polyclinic for treatment.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development warned Mekong Delta provinces of the danger of a widespread recurrence of bird flu and asked them to implement drastic measures to stop the spread of the deadly disease.

Ca Mau province has decided to prolong the inspection campaign for another month. Three working teams comprising 30 people each have been dispatched to affected communes to carry out disinfection again. The neighbouring province of Bac Lieu has also launched a communication campaign on bird flu prevention.  

Ho Chi Minh City has asked market management boards to seize and cull poultry of unknown origin and strictly deal with violations. 

Da Nang City has made an inspection tour of all poultry trading establishments and spray chemicals over 25 sites which are at high risk of bird flu infection.  

Vietnam’s Veterinary Department will import 25 million doses of H5N1 vaccine and 4.5 million doses of H5N9 vaccine in January 2007 for stocks of waterfowl in localities.

A working group comprising representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Science and Technology have negotiated a contact for vaccine imports with the Chinese Merial Company and the Habin Veterinary Research Institute.