Bird flu hits one more Vietnamese locality

Bird flu has hit Vietnam's northern Cao Bang province, raising the total number of affected localities nationwide to 18 so far, according to a local veterinary agency on Saturday.

The disease killed 43 chickens and 44 ducks raised by a household in the province's Thong Nong district on June 11, the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said, noting that specimens from the affected poultry have been tested positive to bird flu virus strain H5N1.

Bird flu, which started to strike Vietnam in December 2003, has hit 18 localities since early May.

To prevent the disease from further spreading, Vietnam is intensifying bird flu vaccination among poultry and tightening fowl trade, transport and production.

Vietnam has planned to import additional 500 million doses of bird flu vaccines for fowls, expected to be used in the 2007-2008 period.

The country has so far this year vaccinated 140.5 million fowls, including 81.6 million chickens, 55.45 million ducks and roughly 3. 5 million white-winged ducks, said the department.

Source: Xinhua