Bird flu, cattle epidemic put under control
VGP - Bird flu epidemic and diseases in farm animals including blue-ear and foot-and-mouth in pigs and cattle have been put under control in most localities nationwide during the last two weeks.
The news was announced by Director of the Animal Health Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Pham Van Dong during a May 21 meeting of the National Steering Committee for Bird Flu Prevention and Control in Ha Noi.
A locality can declare the end of bird flu epidemic if 21 days pass without any new infections since the latest outbreak.
By now, only the bird flu outbreak in southern Vinh Long province has not yet met the 21-day requirement, while the northern provinces of Nam Dinh and Bac Ninh are expected to announce the end of blue-ear disease on pigs next week.
However, the committee warned of high risk of new outbreaks in the coming time, urging local authorities to keep up supervision and intensify preventive measures, including strict application of quarantine regulations and popularization of information on avian influenza.
It is noteworthy that the bird flu epidemic on salanganes raised in farms in some localities has been contained. The MARD’s Animal Health and Livestock Breeding Departments and relevant agencies are now working on regulations on salangane farming./.
VNA
