# 561
Every day, it seems, we hear of a wider geographic spread of the H5N1 virus.
Vietnam, which a month ago was proclaiming their country to be `bird flu free' now has it in five provinces, including the capital city of Hanoi.
Laos, which up until recently, had been quiet about infections, has suffered two human cases, and is now reporting that the virus appears to be spreading south.
Mar 9, 2007
The deadly bird flu virus is spreading into southern provinces of impoverished, landlocked Laos after outbreaks near Vientiane, a government spokesman said on Friday.
Officials planned to cull up to 200,000 fowl to stamp out confirmed and suspected outbreaks in the southern provinces of Savannakhet and Champasak and stop the H5N1 virus in and around the capital, Yong Chanhthalansy said.
"Although tests have not confirmed that they have died of H5N1, our policy now is just kill them all," Yong said by telephone from Vientiane, referring to the suspected cases in Savannakhet.
The campaign comes a day after Lao health officials confirmed the country's first death from H5N1, a 15-year-old girl who died in a hospital in neighbouring Thailand on Wednesday.
