Medical workers give vaccine against bird flu to poultry. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhựt An

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health (MoH) has asked provinces and cities to strengthen bird flu prevention and control, and prevent the disease from spreading to humans.

In a letter sent to relevant organisations recently, the MoH said that the International Health Regulations (IHR) in Cambodia had informed that from November 23 this year to now, Cambodia has had two more cases of human infection with A/H5N1 flu in Kampot Province.

So far this year, Cambodia has recorded six cases of the disease, including three deaths.

Cambodia’s Kampot Province is on the southwest border of Việt Nam.

In the context of increasing trade exchanges between Việt Nam and other countries, the risk of bird flu entering the country and infecting humans is very high, especially in provinces bordering epidemic-affected countries.

In Việt Nam, the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that bird flu still occurred sporadically in different localities.

The weather is in the transition period with unusual changes that are favourable for bird flu virus to develop.

People tend to increase poultry farming to prepare for the Lunar New Year, which will fall in February next year, so poultry transport and trading activities may increase, posing higher potential risks of infection to humans.

To proactively prevent bird flu from entering Việt Nam and spreading to humans, the MoH asked concerned organisations to pay attention and urgently carry out preventive measures.

Provinces need to manage people entering the country to detect suspected cases early, especially live poultry traders and people coming from epidemic-affected areas.

Samples should be taken and sent to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology or the Pasteur Institute for diagnostic testing.

Medical units need to promote monitoring of cases of acute respiratory infections, severe viral pneumonia syndrome and flu syndrome to detect influenza A/H5N1 cases.

Hospitals should be ready to receive, quarantine and treat cases according to the MoH’s regulations and notify the Centre for Disease Control for timely solutions.

Medical and veterinary agencies will co-ordinate closely with local authorities in detecting bird flu cases, especially at border gates and live poultry markets.

The MoH also requests localities to increase education on measures to prevent bird flu infection to humans in high-risk areas.

Provinces and cities must prepare drugs, chemicals and other means to handle outbreaks.

The MoH recommends that provinces should well coordinate in the work, and report the real situation to the MoH based on Circular 54/2015/TT-BYT issued on December 28, 2015. — VNS