Nearly 250 birds were found dead at a farm in Ninh Khang commune, Hoa Lu district of Ninh Binh province, 100 kilometres south of Hanoi. The rest of the almost 2,000-strong flock were culled after a sample tested positive for H5N1.

Cases of bird flu infection were previously reported in the provinces of Nghe An, Nam Dinh, Son La, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang and Dong Thap and the cities of Hai Phong and Can Tho.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently asked localities nationwide to boost surveillance of the disease, to discover and stamp out outbreaks in time, and to quickly complete vaccination programmes against the disease.

On May 26-27, a working group of the Veterinary Department conducted an inspection tour of the northern provinces of Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Ninh Binh to assist them in preventing and controlling the disease.