The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has recently launched a national avian influenza A(H7N9) monitoring programme.

Spraying chemicals at poultry trading place. (Source: VNA)

The programme is to monitor for early detection of any case of avian flu and virus circulation in order to give people warnings on the possibility of unsafe food or the disease outbreaks, thus reducing the risk of the viruses being transmitted to human.

It also supports the building of zones for safe farming in Vietnam and promotes the sustainable development of the breeding industry.

The programme will keep a close watch on poultry farms with suspected infection of the bird flu and immediately report to the animal health agencies.

In addition, provinces where poultry farming is a key industry or poultry are raised for export will have their flocks of poultry tested while in border provinces, virus monitoring will be conducted at live bird markets or places.

All seven Regional Animal Health Offices and 63 sub-departments of animal health across the country will be provided with staff training in monitoring outbreaks on poultry and other professional skills.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has also banned the illegal import of poultry through border gates.

He said that people from A/H7N9 virus-affected countries such as China should be under close surveillance at the border gates.

If the presence of A/H7N9 virus is detected at markets, solutions to eradicate contaminated food should be implemented.

In the first three months of the year, 487 incidences were reported in China, including 99 fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health./.

VNF/VNA