Mr Binh said the Health Ministry is accelerating its work to prevent flu type A (H5N1) in humans. In addition, a network for epidemic control will be developed from the central to communal levels with funding from foreign governments and organisations in a bid to help Vietnam prevent the spread of flu type A to human.

The ministry has been providing documents to guide local authorities in giving early warning of epidemics as well as controlling any outbreaks. It has also been co-ordinating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in purchasing equipment for institutes in charge of hygiene and epidemiology in provinces and cities, collecting data and making reports on vaccination campaigns, he added.

According to the National Steering Board for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Vietnam has detected no new outbreaks of bird flu over the past eight months and no new H5N1 cases over the past nine months.

However, the Health Ministry warned that the bird flu situation in the world was still complex and that Vietnam should continue tightening its prevention measures, especially in its border areas.

According to the WHO, since December 2003, there have been 229 H5N1 cases in the world, including 131 fatal ones in 10 countries.