# 1421
Vietnam, which once wore the crown of the world's most H5N1 infested country - but rehabilitated that image through hard work and rigorous containment policies - is understandably chagrined to find themselves with a human death coming out of left field.
A year ago, Vietnam was the Poster Child for avian flu containment.
But that was a year ago.
Apparently the local provincial government was oblivious to any outbreaks in poultry until the child died.
This from Thanh Nien Daily.
Airport bird flu drills brace for more outbreaks
A bird flu drill was held at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport Friday as the Health Ministry warned about the high risk of bird flu recurrence in the cold weather.
Previously, two similar drills were held at northern Noi Bai and central Da Nang international airports.
The drills were part of efforts to prevent new outbreaks of bird flu which usually hit the country during Lunar New Year Tet Holiday, when the transportation and slaughter of poultry was high, the Health Ministry said.
The Ministry criticized many local authorities for loosening the management of bird flu, which has killed 47 people in Vietnam since 2003, eight in this year alone.
In the latest case in Son La Province, the provincial government had not been aware of the outbreaks until a four-year-old child died.
