Lao veterinary authorities have sent an urgent notification to the WordOrganisation for Animal Health on an outbreak of avian pandemicinfluenza in a village in the northwestern region, marking the return ofthe deadly virus in the country after five years.
The outbreak was reported to start on March 13 in Nator Nhay village inXayabury province, which borders Thailand. The risk has now beeneradicated, the notification said.
As many as 457 poultry from a flock of 5,142 were affected and destroyed, the report said.
According to the Provincial Health Department of Xayabury, a dozen oflocal farmers showed symptoms of influenza but no one tested positive tothe H5N1 virus.
The Vientiane Times newspaperquoted sources from the department as saying that the poultry weretransported from Luang Prabang after being imported from a neighbouringcountry.
The last H5N1 outbreak in Laos was in 2008.-VNA
The outbreak was reported to start on March 13 in Nator Nhay village inXayabury province, which borders Thailand. The risk has now beeneradicated, the notification said.
As many as 457 poultry from a flock of 5,142 were affected and destroyed, the report said.
According to the Provincial Health Department of Xayabury, a dozen oflocal farmers showed symptoms of influenza but no one tested positive tothe H5N1 virus.
The Vientiane Times newspaperquoted sources from the department as saying that the poultry weretransported from Luang Prabang after being imported from a neighbouringcountry.
The last H5N1 outbreak in Laos was in 2008.-VNA
