The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting on Tuesday with its counterparts from seven neighboring localities to discuss solutions in preventing the H5N1 bird flu that has spread to 21 provinces and cities. 

>> VN applies 24/7 check at entry points to prevent bird flu >> Bird flu developments must be updated hourly: Deputy PM >> HCMC sets up more inspection teams to prevent bird flu >> Hanoi set up teams to cope with bird flu in humans These seven localities include Tay Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau,  Long An, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, and Tien Giang, and. Of these, the first three have been affected by the disease. In order to make the fight against bird flu effective, there should be a close coordination and well as information sharing between localities in a region, said Mai Van Hiep, deputy head of the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. So far the H5N1 bird flu has spread to 21 provinces and cities, affecting 63,600 poultry that have been incinerated, Hiep said. These localities include Phu Yen, Lao Cai, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Phu Tho, Binh Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Nam Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tay Ninh, Long An, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Tra Vinh.    At the meeting, HCMC, which has yet to be affected by the H5N1 bird flu, suggested that the other localities in the region should boost sharing information about epidemic developments, especially outbreaks in areas bordering localities. The move will help localities to actively prevent the spread of the deadly virus, the city said.    In addition, these localities should also make a list of flu-free poultry breeders as a trusted supply of safe poultry to slaughter-houses or consumers, as a measure to prevent the H5N1 bird flu in humans. Since early this year, two people – in southern Binh Phuoc and Dong Thap provinces – have died of the disease. Taking samples of poultry, both those with signs of bird flu and those without such signs, for testing is also a measure to detect the infection of H5N1 early.  A representative of Long An maintained that coordination should also be boosted between preventive heath, animal quarantine, and veterinary units of these eight localities. Meanwhile, a delegate from Tay Ninh suggested that it is necessary to provide more information about bird flu developments and how to prevent the epidemic spreading to the public.Cooperation agreements Currently, instead of burying poultry that died of the H5N1 bird flu in accordance with applicable regulations, many people threw the bodies of the dead poultry out to roads or fields. This act causes environmental pollution and increases the spread of the virus among neighboring localities, a representative of Tay Ninh said.     Phan Xuan Thao, head of the HCMC Veterinary Sub-Department, said the city, with a population of about 10 million, consumes a large amount of poultry everyday, of which a large number is supplied from neighboring localities.   

The city has a poultry slaughter-house that consumes 60,000-70,000 poultry per day, Thao said, adding that so far this year  the facility receives about 42,800 chickens, 12,130 ducks and 1,245 quails per day.   Except with Tay Ninh and Binh Phuoc, HCMC have recently signed cooperation agreements with five of the seven localities  on combating bird flu, strengthening animal quarantine and making food safety inspections on animals and animal-derived products that are brought from outside to the city.   Currently, the sub-departments of 21 provinces in the southeastern and southwestern region have signed such cooperation agreement, Thao said.