#938
At it's height, as many as 18 provinces in Vietnam were reporting outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in poultry over the past month. Gradually, some of these provinces have fallen from the active list, having gone 3 weeks without any new reports of bird infections.
Three weeks is the magic number, after which an area can declare themselves `bird-flu free'. It's an artificial line of demarcation, and simply signifies that the latest outbreak is over. The areas currently fighting back the disease a few months ago were celebrating their `bird-flu free status'.
Despite the transient nature of any such designation, the fact that 4 provinces have gone 3 weeks without any new outbreaks is an indication that officials may be gaining on the problem.
Bird flu hits Thai Binh; four provinces pronounced clean
(26-06-2007)HA NOI — New bird flu outbreaks were reported yesterday in Thai Binh Province. Thousands of chickens, ducks and white-winged ducks were slaughtered after tests confirmed that their flocks had been infested with the deadly H5N1 virus.
The outbreaks occurred in unvaccinated birds in four communes in the districts of Dong Hung, Tien Hai and Hung Ha, according to the Animal Health Department.
Meanwhile, the department yesterday declared four other provinces to be bird flu-free.
Quang Ninh and Dong Thap provinces have reported no new outbreaks for 25 days, Bac Ninh, for 23 days, and Phu Tho, for 21 days. The period required for an affected locality to be deemed free from the epidemic is at least 21 days.
Since May, bird flu has struck 18 provinces and cities. Five human infections have resulted in two deaths, bringing the death toll to 44 since 2003.
Forty-four out of 64 provinces and cities have finished the year’s first round of bird flu vaccinations, inoculating nearly 84 million chickens, over 59 million ducks and nearly 3.5 million white-winged ducks.
Several other provinces are approaching the 21-day mark to be declared free of the H5N1 virus, including Nam Dinh, Hung Yen and Ha Nam, each free of the epidemic for 19 or 20 days. — VNS
