Three people have died of bird flu in Vietnam, and the deputy prime minister is urging people nationwide to be vigilant against the disease, Vietnamese state television reported today.
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Nguyen Tan Dung sent a telegram to relevant agencies and provinces today after it was confirmed that three people died from the virus, Vietnamese Television reported. Two of the victims were children.
The latest report follows an outbreak earlier this year that swept across Asia, killing 16 people in Vietnam and eight in Thailand, and leading to the slaughter of about 100 million poultry.
Trinh Quan Huan, head of the Ministry of Health's department for Preventative Medicine and HIV/AIDS Control, said all three victims tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the virus and died between July 30th and August 3rd.
Two children, ages four and one, died in Ha Tay province in the north, while the other victim died in southern Hau Giang province, about 110 miles south of Ho Chi Minh City, he said.
During the past several months, Vietnam has reported a recurrence of bird flu, resulting in the deaths or culling of more than 50,000 birds.