The news was announced at a regular briefing held by the National Steering Committee on Bird flu prevention and control in Hanoi on September 12.

The committee reported that bird flu and human influenza type-A (H5N1) in regional countries are developing complicatedly. Vietnam’s neighbouring countries of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and China have reported outbreaks of bird flu and human case of infection.

Speaking at the briefing, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat asked localities to closely monitor the development of bird flu outbreaks, reinforce disinfection, and strictly control the transport, trading and slaughtering of poultry in big cities and provinces. In addition, it is necessary to finalise procedures to receive US$2.5 million aid from Japan to disseminate information about bird flu prevention and control.

Regarding foot-and-mouth disease, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the disease was detected in 123 buffaloes and cows, and 79 pigs being raised in five communes of four districts of northern Thai Binh province from September 5-11.