Vietnam's bird flu surveillance still weak: deputy minister
31/3/2005 15:13
Eight human cases of bird flu infection have been detected in Vietnam
since mid-March, which proves that the country's disease surveillance networks
are still weak, Vietnamese health officials said.
"The risk of bird flu
reoccurrence is unavoidable because awareness of residents about the disease and
poultry breeding conditions are still limited. Many areas do not have strong
surveillance networks," local newspaper Youth on Thursday quoted Health Deputy
Minister Tran Chi Liem as saying.
To work out specific measures to contain
bird flu in specific areas, the Ministry of Health will hold two meetings in the
northern and central regions, he said.
Another health official, director of
the ministry's Preventive Medicine Department Trinh Quan Huan stated that
Vietnam's most important task, for the time being, is to control outbreaks among
poultry, since residents still raise fowls, especially ducks, freely in fields
and canals.
"All recent bird flu infections are related to loose control over
the disease. Closer surveillance is needed, otherwise it's very difficult to
contain bird flu among humans," the director stressed.
Vietnam will embark on
a nationwide one-month campaign staring on April 1, under which relevant
agencies and local residents keep all animal raising facilities and residential
areas hygienic, he said, adding that the country is further researching into
production of bird flu vaccines for people.
Over the past two weeks, Vietnam
has detected eight human cases of bird flu infection, including one from central
Quang Binh province, one from northern Nam Dinh province, one from northern
Quang Ninh province and five from northern Hai Phong city, Huan said, adding
that the health of five patients within a family from the city is
improving.
Vietnam has detected 33 human cases of bird flu infection since
mid-December 2004, of whom 15 have died, he noted.
Bird flu has stricken the
country's 35 cities and provinces since January. Twenty-nine localities have
seen no new outbreaks in their territory for three weeks, meeting criteria to
announce an end to the disease.
The six remaining localities include Hai
Phong, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Can Tho, Dong Thap and Hau Giang, according to the
Department of Animal Health.
Xinhua
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