The Department of Animal Health was criticized for its delay in collecting and updating news about bird flu during an online meeting on February 18 in Hanoi.
The meeting was attended by 63 municipal and provincial administrators, presided by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, and Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, Minister Cao Duc Phat.
The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture (FAO) warned the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development of the new deadly virus strain H7N9, said Minister Phat.
The FAO also urges to take extra preventive measures.
Minister Phat ordered the Department of Animal Health to continuously update news on development of the bird flu.
Deputy PM Hai asks locals to implement preventive measures to prevent transmission of the bird flu into the country.
In related news, forty-five illegal poultry sale units in districts 12, Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon and Go Vap have been found, according to the Department of Animal Health in HCMC. The city is preparing to implement urgent prevention measures against the bird flu.
Samples of farmer Le Van Thien’s poultry in Chau Thanh District, Hau Giang Province in the Mekong delta tested positive for the H5N1 virus, said Ho Thi Puong Loan, deputy head of the Station of Animal Health Hau Giang on February 18.
Veterinarians disposed 1,500 chickens belonging to Thien.
About 10,000 dead poultry was reported in Da Teh and Cat Tien Districts, said Nguyen Duc Hung, chairman of Department of Animal Health in the Highlands province of Lam Dong.
The department distributed 500,000 vaccinations to farms in the two districts.