Vietnam warns about human avian flu risk after Cambodia outbreak

The recent announcement by Cambodia of two additional human cases of H5N1 avian influenza has raised concerns about the spread of the disease in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health has said.

Vietnam raises concerns about the spread of the human avian flu risk after Cambodia outbreak (Photo:promegaconnections)

According to the Cambodian Ministry of Health, two more cases of human infections of H5N1 have been recorded in Kampot province, bringing the total number of human infections to six. Of the cases, three deaths have been confirmed.

The Vietnamese Health Ministry has sent dispatches to localities in a bid to strengthen the prevention and control of avian influenza by the year-end.

The localities were asked to closely monitor people entering the country and to detect suspected cases, especially traders who deal in live poultry and poultry products and who have a history of coming from an epidemic area.

Localities were required to take samples for testing and attempt to prevent the disease from spreading among the community, while strengthening inspections on acute respiratory infections, severe viral pneumonia, and influenza syndrome cases in a bid to promptly detect cases of influenza A (H5N1).

The Ministry also requested that hospitals stand ready to isolate and treat infected patients and promptly notify the Centers for Disease Control for timely epidemic prevention and control measures. They must therefore ensure enough medicine, medical supplies, and chemicals are available to handle any potential outbreak.