# 1320
While nearly all eyes are upon the H5N1 virus as it burns it's way through domestic and wild bird populations around the globe, other avian flu viruses are beginning to show up with increasing regularity.
Vietnam, an early victim of the H5N1 outbreaks, is preparing to deal with two additional viruses by importing vaccine from China for the H7N3 and H7N8 viruses.
New bird flu strains may threat Vietnam
18:53' 05/12/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge - Deputy Head of the Veterinary Agency Dau Ngoc Hoa on Tuesday warned that bird flu epidemics caused by new bird flu strains have appeared in Asia and the rest of the world and can enter Vietnam anytime.
In the past two weeks, several Asian countries and territories reported new bird flu epidemics, caused by mutated strains such as H7N3 in South Korea and H7N8 in Canada.
The Veterinary Agency warned that cold weather may harbor the return of bird flu viruses and mutated strains make the disease much more dangerous.
Vietnam plans to import H7N3 and H7N8 vaccines.
Since A/H5N1 bird flu appeared in Vietnam, it has menaced the human population, particulary in winter. Since early 2007, bird flu has elusively broken out and then been controlled several times.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Vietnam was free of the epidemic on September 20, 2007, but it now looks like they may have jumped the gun.
