A disinfection spot established in Hanoi's Chuong My District, where an outbreak of the A/H5N6 avian flu has been reported. — Photo laodong.vn

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Animal Health said, as of Monday, eight outbreaks of avian influenza caused by the A/H5N6 strain had been reported. Tens of thousands of poultry have been culled in four cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

In Quang Ninh Province, an outbreak was reported at a farming household in Dam Ha District’s Duc Yen Commune. As many as 3,000 poultry have been culled.

In Thanh Hoa Province, three outbreaks were reported in two districts of Nong Cong and Quang Xuong, with more than 2,000 poultry culled.

Nghe An Province has the same number of outbreaks and 344 poultry have been destroyed.

In Hanoi, more than 2,390 poultry in 11 farming households in Chuong My District’s Phu Nghia Commune have been culled due to the outbreak.

According to the Department of Animal Health, the A/H5N6 avian flu has been controlled. All of the outbreaks appeared at small-scale farming households and poultry had not been vaccinated.

The virus causing avian influenza occurred in Vietnam in 2018, mainly belonging to H5N1 branch in the Mekong Delta region and H5N6 branch in many other regions of the country.

It is forecast that the disease will continue to occur due to changing weather conditions; the high demand for transportation, slaughter, and consumption of poultry, and the low rate of vaccination for poultry in farming households in some localities.

The risk of avian influenza outbreaks appears to be very high, it said, adding that the risk of other avian strains such as A/H5N2, A/H5N8, and A/H7N9 is also high.

Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Health, said the department has requested sub-departments of animal health to send working teams to infected localities to inspect and guide the implementation of disease prevention and control.

The sub-departments are required to arrange staff to be on duty to ensure prompt and accurate testing when needed to fight diseases. — VNS

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