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

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Bird flu found in Vietnam ducks

HANOI - Vietnam on Friday said bird flu had struck a flock of ducks in the Mekong delta, just a day after the country lifted a ban on hatching waterfowl that was imposed in 2005. The virus attacked 800 unvaccinated ducks that were 45 days old -- among the millions of waterfowl that were bred despite the ban -- in the Tra On district of Vinh Long province, the national animal health department said. All the ducks were slaughtered after testing positive for the H5N1 virus.

The delta was hit by a series of outbreaks in poultry in December and January, but the cases were contained with mass culls and vaccinations. Vietnam had prepared to announce itself bird flu-free before the mid-February Lunar New Year festival after the eight affected provinces had reported no new cases for at least 21 days. However, on Tuesday officials said avian influenza had struck a farm in the northern Hai Duong province, leading to the cull of 10,500 chickens.

Bird flu first hit in Vietnam in late 2003 and has killed 42 people, but no new human cases have been reported since November 2005. The country on Thursday lifted a ban on hatching waterfowl that was imposed two years ago but poorly observed.

Agence France Presse - March 2, 2007.