The Vietnamese government on Tuesday asked relevant agencies and localities to intensify bird flu prevention among humans and fowls, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged chairpersons of cities and provinces nationwide to direct and mobilize border guards, and veterinary and health forces, to intensify inspection of border gates, and ensure the enforcement of a temporary ban on import of fowls and related products from bird flu-hit countries.

He also tasked veterinary and health agencies, and committees on combating bird flu among humans and fowls to take synchronous measures to prevent the disease.

Vietnam has detected 93 bird flu patients, including 42 fatalities, in 32 localities since the disease started to hit the country in December 2003, the Vietnamese Health Ministry said on Aug. 21, noting that it has seen no new human cases of infections since mid-November 2005.

Bird flu outbreaks, starting in the country in December 2003, have killed and led to the forced culling of dozens of millions of fowls. The last outbreak of bird flu among poultry in Vietnam was in December 2005, according to the Department of Animal Health under the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Source: Xinhua