Vietnam’s Health Ministry Warns about Avian Flu Risk from China

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health’s Department of Preventive Medicine has just warned about the spread of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus from China to Vietnam, local media reported. The A (H7N9) virus was first reported in China in March 2013. From December 2016 to mid-January 2017, China has reported at least 83 infected people, including 30 fatalities. Although no cases of H7N9 have been reported in Vietnam over the past few years, the Ministry of Health is still increasing preventive measures as border trade and poultry smuggling is more active around the Lunar New Year period. Tran Dac Phu, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine said that the ministry is tightening monitoring in vulnerable areas as warm weather may be ideal for the virus to spread from China as the two countries share a long border. (vov.vn Jan 29, vtv.vn Feb 1)