Bird flu reoccurs in northern province of Vietnam

Bird flu has re-emerged in the northern province Dien Bien of Vietnam, according to a report of the Animal Health Department under Vietnam´s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Monday.

    The bird flu broke out in nine local farms from Oct. 21 to 23, killing hundreds of poultry, said the report.

    Poultry samples tested by provincial animal health agency showed positive for the H5N1 virus, said the report.

    Local animal health authorities have been implementing measures to curb the spread of the bird flu virus to nearby areas, including the culling of over 2,200 remaining poultry, said the department.

    Dien Bien currently is the only province of Vietnam being re-hit by the avian flu after the province was confirmed of being free of the H5N1 virus for several months this year.

    Vietnam has reported five human infection cases of bird flu so far this year, and four of them died.