The northern province of Yen Bai has detected bird flu outbreaks, bringing the total number of affected localities in Vietnam to 15, Vietnam News Agency reported Monday.

The report said recent tests by the provincial Veterinary Bureau showed that 12 out of 16 specimens from 14 suspected ducks and 97 chickens in the two districts of Tran Yen and Luc Yen were positive to bird flu virus strain H5N1. This has prompted the slaughter of roughly 3,000 healthy fowls in the districts.

A total of 22 localities nationwide have detected poultry deaths since Oct. 1. However, recent tests have showed that fowls in the central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai, and the southern province of Dong Thap have not been infected with the virus.

The capital of Hanoi, the two northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen, and the southern provinces of Bac Lieu and Long An have met criteria for announcing an end to bird flu outbreaks ( detecting no new affected spots for at least three weeks). Therefore, the current number of bird flu-hit localities, is only 15, said the report.

Vietnam is actively vaccinating fowls nationwide against bird flu viruses. Over 172 million poultry turns (each dose for a fowl being considered one turn, two doses for the same fowl regarded as two turns) have been vaccinated so far.

Vietnam's Health Ministry has confirmed 66 human cases of H5N1 infections, including 22 fatalities, in 25 cities and provinces since December 2004, bringing the total respective numbers since December 2003 to 93 and 42.

According to local media late last month, a three-year-old boy from southern Tien Giang province, who has remained hospitalized, is infected with bird flu according to initial tests. The ministry has yet to confirm this case.

Source: Xinhua