Vietnam has taken precautions against bird flu, instructing local athletes at the upcoming Southeast Asian Games (23rd SEA Games) not to eat poultry, and supplying them with the bird flu medicine Tamiflu.

Vietnam's Sports and Physical Culture Committee has recently asked all athletes not to have dishes made from poultry and relevant products to prevent potential bird flu infection, the committee said Thursday, adding that the country's Ministry of Health has supplied a sufficient amount of Tamiflu to local athletes at the 23rd SEA Games slated for between late November and early December in the Philippines.

Up to 92 Vietnamese people have been infected with bird flu virus strain H5N1 since the disease started to appear in the country in late 2003. Of them, 42 have died, the Health Ministry announced early this week.

Local media on Thursday reported that a 43-year-old man from northern Hai Phong city died on Nov. 2 due to infection of bird flu virus strain H3N0.

At the approaching event, Vietnam has eyed 60-70 gold medals or the third place. "We pin greatest hope on our wrestlers and martial arts athletes," Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the country's 23rd SEA Games delegation, told Xinhua recently.

Among sports, Vietnam has aimed 6-8 golds at wrestling, 5-6 at pencak silat, 4-5 at judo, 5-6 at shooting, and 3-4 at taekwondo, he said.

At the 22nd SEA Games in 2003, hosts Vietnam topped the medal table with 158 golds, 97 silvers and 91 bronzes, far ahead of second-placed Thailand on 90-93-98.

Source: Xinhua