A veterinary staff sprays chemicals on poultry.— Illustrative photo nhandan.com.vn |
HÀ NỘI — The health ministry has recommended that people avoid buying and eating poultry meat that does not have clear origins, to prevent an outbreak of avian influenza A(H5N1) and A(H5N6).
The advisory has been issued as over the past few years there have been outbreaks close to Tết (the Lunar New Year) as during this occasion, the consumption of poultry meat is higher than usual.
The ministry has also warned people not to slaughter and transport poultry without clear origins. Breeders have been asked to alert authorities if there are unexplained poultry deaths.
If people suffer from symptoms such as high fever and difficulty in breathing, they should go to the nearest health centre without delay, the ministry said.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), avian influenza has been recorded in many countries this year. Since June, wild birds and poultry have been found with A(H5N8) in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, India and Russia. Scientists have also confirmed a connection between dead wild birds and bird flu found in poultry farms in these countries.
The World Health Organization has recorded cases of A(H5N1) and A(H5N6) infections among the Chinese and Egyptians in 2016. — VNS