Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Lang Son (VNA) – The northern border province ofLang Son has implemented a plan on urgent response to dangerous avian flu strainsthat are able to transmit to human as the A/H7N virus is ravaging Chineselocalities bordering the province.
Along with spraying chemicals in local markets andtightening supervision over poultry slaughterhouses, Lang Son has also increasedcommunications to help local people grasp information on the development of theepidemic as well as preventive measures.
A ban on poultry and poultry products trade andtransportation across the border has been issued, while bordergateways havebeen disinfected.
Nguyen Nam Hung, head of the provincial Department forAnimal Health, said that the agency has kept a close watch on high risk areas,especially markets for living poultry.
So far, Lang Son has not detected any avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, he said.
Lang Son has also prepared four epidemic scenarios in whichadequate responding measures will be applied, said Hung, adding that in the worstsituation when human infection is found, the province will ask for support fromthe National Steering Committee for Avian Flu Prevention and Control.
Meanwhile, Ly Minh Hai, head of the Animal Health Office ofLang Son city said that the agency has conducted random and regular inspectionsat poultry breeding and slaughtering facilities, while spraying chemicals inmajor markets daily through March.
The office has also taken poultry samples for testing threetimes per week to detect the A (H7N9)and other virus strains in the markets, hesaid.
So far, Vietnamhas recorded no human A/H7N9 infections.
At least 270 H7N9 human infections had beenreported in China, with 87 fatalities. Most cases were around the Yangtze andPearl River deltas.-VNA
VNA
