Education Ministry steps up avian flu prevention measures
The Ministry of Education and Training has asked its departments, educational institutes and vocational schools to co-operate with the health sector and other relevant agencies in the fight against avian flu, especially A(H7N9).
In particular, schools should be vigilant and monitor the health of their students and staff closely, and report any cases of avian flu immediately.
Flu prevention information should be provided to students and staff so that they can recognise the infection, identify different strains of the virus and adopt suitable hygiene habits to prevent infection.
Similarly, schools were asked to improve food safety and hygiene standards in their canteens and advised that all poultry be well-cooked.
Health experts warned that although the country facing a high risk of an outbreak of the new H7N9 avian flu, to date no infections in either poultry or humans, of this particular strain have been reported.
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Neighbouring provinces in China have seen an increased incidence of H7N9 flu, they said, adding that this strain of flu could enter the country through smuggled poultry.
They also warned of more small outbreaks of the less virulent H5N1 flu in Vietnam over the coming months. So far, 24 provinces and cities have reported cases of the infection in poultry and humans.
To combat the infection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Health have set up inspection teams for flu prevention in the provinces.
Although incidences and fatalities of avian flu have reduced, Vietnam still is third highest in the world for incidences of bird flu, following Egypt and Indonesia.
Usually, the country records two or three incidences a year, but in the first two months of this year alone, there have been two fatalities.
The MARD agreed to provide 15,000 litres of chemicals to the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Khanh Hoa and Tay Ninh, to help destroy infected poultry safely.