| ■ Bird Flu Outbreak Puts Vietnam on High Alert | 2008.02.26 |
| A new H5N1 bird flu outbreak that has killed thousands of birds in three northern provinces in Vietnam has put the country on high alert. Seven of Vietnam's 64 provinces and municipalities that have reported H5N1 virus outbreaks within the past 21 days are now on the watchlist, Agence France-Presse reported. "We will go on nationwide red alert on the risk of bird flu over the next few days," Bui Ba Bong, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, was quoted as telling the Thanh Nien daily newspaper. "Preventing and fighting H5N1 outbreaks in poultry is extremely urgent and important in preventing and curbing H5N1 outbreaks among humans," he said, AFP reported. Vietnam's government also reported the country's third human victim of bird flu this year. The 27-year-old man from northern Ninh Binh province died Feb. 14. That brings Vietnam's human death toll to 50 since the virus first appeared in the country a few years ago. Worldwide, it's believed the H5N1 virus has killed 228 people. |