~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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6 flu type A suspects detected in Vietnam's central highlands

HANOI - Vietnam's central highlands Gia Lai province, which is hit by bird flu much later than other localities, has reported six flu type A infections since Wednesday. A total of six residents in central highlands Gia Lai province have been hospitalized with symptoms of fever, headache and difficult breathing. One of the six patients has died, local newspaper Vietnam Agriculture reported Friday.

An 18-year-old man, born in central highlands Lam Dong province's Di Linh district, died of flu type A on Monday in the Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City. He was confirmed to havecontracted H5N1 later by the hospital. On Thursday, Ho Chi Minh City-based hospitals admitted nine patients, including five suspected cases of flu type A, raising the total number of infections and suspects in the city to 53. They have confirmed seven cases of flu type A infections, of whom six, one in the city and five in other localities, have died. By Thursday, Vietnam reported 124 flu type A infections and suspects in 22 cities and provinces.

Xinhuanet - February 6, 2004


Vietnam circus ducks fall foul of bird flu cull

HANOI - Vietnam's famous performing ducks have met a foul end. The 150 talented waterfowl, members of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Park circus troupe, at first escaped a massive poultry cull aimed at stemming a raging bird flu outbreak. It couldn't last. The web-footed stars have now been put down, Vietnam News said on Friday and the circus plans to replace them with a group of racing pigs.

The ducks' repertoire included pulling monkeys in mini-carts, assisting in magic shows, and going down a slide into a pond. It takes at least six months to train the ducks, the newspaper said. More than 14 million of Vietnam's 250 million poultry have been destroyed so far due to the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza that has killed at least 13 people in the country. Ho Chi Minh City itself has put down about 3.5 million poultry.

Reuters - February 6, 2004


Vietnam confirms two more deaths from bird flu

HANOI - Vietnamese officials on Friday confirmed the deaths of two more people from bird flu, pushing up the country's total to 13 deaths, and bringing Asia's overall total to 18. A 6-year-old girl from southern Dong Nai province who died Tuesday tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, said Phan Van Tu, with Ho Chi Minh City's Pasteur Institute.

In addition, a 24-year-old man from central Lam Dong province who died Monday was also confirmed as a bird flu victim, said Tran Tinh Hien, deputy director of Ho Chi Minh City's Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The man was the second victim from Vietnam's Central Highlands region. Vietnam now has a total of 17 cases, 13 of whom died. Two other patients have recovered and been released, while a 20-year-old woman and an 8-year-old girl remain hospitalized. The World Health Organization has not confirmed the latest deaths.

Vietnam has the highest number of human deaths from bird flu, which has also killed five people in Thailand. Millions of poultry have been infected in 10 Asian countries as governments have grappled with ways to contain the deadly disease. More than 14 million of Vietnam's 250 million poultry have been slaughtered in the past month. The avian influenza is highly contagious among birds and in some cases has jumped to humans. Health officials believe the flu is contracted through direct contact with infected birds. Eating properly cooked meat and eggs is not believed to be a health risk.

There have been worries - but no evidence - that a new virus hybrid could develop and spread between people, creating a global pandemic. The WHO is investigating the possibility of human-to-human transmission - the scenario feared most - in one infected family in Vietnam. In the case of the 6-year-old girl, officials believe she was in contact with an infected bird. Tran Nguyen Duc, director of the Preventive Medicine Department of Dong Nai province, said the girl's family had been given a fighting cock by a neighbor as a gift before the Lunar New Year.

The cock died a day later, and the girl fell ill afterwards. She checked into a private clinic before being admitted to the provincial children's hospital. She was later transferred to Pediatric Hospital #1 in Ho Chi Minh City on Jan. 30, where she died Tuesday. None of her family have come down with the disease, he said. Duc said the girl was the first bird flu victim from southern Dong Nai province, Vietnam's largest poultry producer with nearly 10 million chickens and ducks raised. Dong Nai is just outside Ho Chi Minh City.

The 24-year-old man from Lam Dong province fell ill after eating dead chickens given by the family's neighbors, said Tran Manh Ha, director of the provincial preventive medicine department. None of his family have become sick with the virus, he added.

The Associated Press - February 6, 2004