The Vietnamese government has just asked localities nationwide to accelerate bird flu vaccination among fowls so that it can be completed before December, local newspaper Vietnam Economic Times reported Monday.

The vaccination among fowls, including all breeding poultry, must be completed by late November at the latest. The government has also instructed relevant ministries to rapidly cull infected fowls, isolate bird flu outbreaks, and forbid the transport of poultry as well as poultry products out of affected areas, if the disease is spotted in any localities.

Fowls, mainly chickens and ducks, in 47 out of 64 cities and provinces must be vaccinated against bird flu viruses, including the deadly strain H5N1, for the first time in the September-November period. They will receive further vaccination until next year.

The total fund for vaccinating over 200 million fowls in the 2005-2006 is estimated at 700 billion Vietnamese dong (44.3 million US dollars). Vietnam imports the vaccines from China and the Netherlands.

According to local veterinary agencies, up to 70 percent of waterfowls in the southern Mekong delta have been recently tested positive to H5N1. Vietnam has culled over 1,300 fowls in the eightlocalities of Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Bac Ninh and Hanoi since early April.

Since the first bird flu patient was detected in Vietnam in late 2003, up to 91 human cases of infections, including 41 fatalities, have been reported in 31 cities and provinces.