The Vietnamese government has just asked relevant agencies and localities to tighten control over the import of fowls through border gates to prevent bird flu, local newspaper Vietnam News reported Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem on Sunday tasked customs and market management forces, and border guards to keep a closer eye on the trade of poultry and related products via border crossings.

Control over the transport and trade of fowls across borders has loosened, while bird flu vaccination among poultry is being conducted slowly, he said.

The deputy prime minister ordered localities and ministries to step up monitoring bird flu, disinfecting farms, and accelerating the vaccination. Seeing no bird flu outbreaks over the past three months, some Vietnamese provinces have dropped their vigilance against the disease, he said.

Last year, bird flu hit 44 cities and provinces of Vietnam, killing and leading to the forced culling of nearly 4.8 million poultry. The total direct loss caused by the disease was estimated at more than 100 billion Vietnamese dong (6.3 million U.S. dollars) .

Now, the country has a total fowl population of 220 million.

Source: Xinhua