Further Spread of Bird Flu in Hanoi Vietnam
Recombinomics Commentary
January 15, 2005
>>HANOI, Vietnam--Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has asked authorities to take drastic measures to fight bird flu after the potentially fatal virus killed hundreds of poultry in the capital Hanoi, state media said Saturday.
"In Hanoi, avian flu was detected in white-winged ducks and in chicken farms of Long Bien district," the English daily Vietnam News said.
Some 400 ducks and 600 chickens had so far died of the disease, the Tuoi Tre newspaper said.
Reports said the "remaining poultry have been culled by veterinarians" without giving any numbers <<.
The above report indicates that the bird flu infections of poultry continue to expand in Hanoi, which is additional cause for concern. Earlier reports were of 200 geese and 400 hundred chickens on one farm in the Long Bien district. It seems likely that the spread in the north will match the spread in the south and additional infections will be present in poorly monitored areas because in some areas ducks are infected but do not show symptoms.
The asymptomatic ducks are of concern because of the high demand for poultry during the upcoming Tet New Year celebrations.
In the south there are 6 confirmed and 9 suspect cases. Four of the confirmed cases have died and the remaing two are in critical condition.
.
Media link