Agricultural officials urged to raise alert over bird flu threat

Agricultural officials in the northern region have been urged to prepare for the deadly bird flu virus that usually arrives between now and Tet, the lunar New Year.

Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Diep Kinh Tan issued the warning at a conference to discuss bird flu prevention for the northern region in Ha Noi yesterday.

There was a high risk that the virus would spread because officials and residents had neglected preventive measures and the vaccination of their poultry, he said.

Veterinary Company Region 1 director Nguyen Van Son told the conference that late vaccination was the cause of outbreaks in Nam Dinh and Nghe An provinces.

But bird flu was under control in the northern region and prices would remain stable until the new year, he said.

The first measure to protect poultry was to give safe biological breeding high priority and control the slaughter, transport and sale of birds.

And more attention should be given to timely vaccination, said Son.

Vinh Phuc Agriculture and Rural Development deputy director Bui Nhu Y said that although the province had not suffered an outbreak for two years, the risk was latent.

"Supervising poultry is the most difficult work because there are few veterinary workers in the province," he explained.

Residents were also unlikely to report any outbreak because the State\'s compensation was only VND15,000 (US$0.75) for each domestic fowl.

The market price was VND55,000-60,000 ($2.75-3).

Vinh Phuc officials were writing a regulation that would assign funds and responsibility to prevent bird flu to the relevant provincial agencies.

"Provincial veterinary stations have also joined with commune veterinary stations to more closely monitor the virus," said Y.

Bird flu has struck in 63 communes in 23 cities and provinces since the beginning of the year.

Almost 76,000 birds have died or been culled, Animal Health Department statistics show.

The department has asked provincial veterinary stations to vaccinate all poultry before the end of the month.