The southern province of Long An has just detected an bird flu outbreak, bringing the total number of affected localities in Vietnam to 17, according to the Department of Animal Health on Friday.
The department under Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said 72 chickens and 12 ducks raised by a household in Thanh Phu commune of the province's Ben Luc died on Nov. 14. Tests have shown that the poultry were infected with bird flu virus strain H5.
A total of 21 localities nationwide have detected poultry deaths since Oct. 1. Among the number, recent tests have showed that fowls in southern Dong Thap province are not infected with bird flu viruses. Fowl deaths have been recently found in Dong Trieu district of northern Quang Ninh province, but testing results have yet to come out.
In addition, Hanoi capital and southern Bac Lieu province have met criteria for announcing an end to bird flu outbreaks ( detecting no new affected spots for at least three weeks).
Therefore, the current number of bird flu-hit localities, is only 17, the department said, noting that they are Bac Giang, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Hai Phong, Quang Ngai, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thai Binh, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen and Cao Bang in the northern and central regions, and Long An in the southern region.
Over 154 million poultry turns (each dose for a fowl being considered one turn, two doses for the same fowl regarded as two turns) have been vaccinated so far in the country, the department said.
On Friday, the Veterinary Bureau of northern Lang Son province said 20 buffaloes and bulls raised in Loc Binh district have suddenly died since mid-November. It is probing into the deaths' causes.