(VOVworld) – Ministries, departments, and localities have followed the government’s urging to strengthen their precautions against the two strains of bird flu H7N9 and H5N1.

Authorities in the northern province of Lang Son continue to implement measures to prevent cross-border poultry smuggling and trading. Police Chief of Can Loc District Bui Van Dien said that the fight against poultry smuggling has been joined by communes and wards. Dien said: "We have instructed police, border guards, market managers, and People’s Committees of border towns and communes to prevent poultry smuggling. The number of birds smuggled across the border has fallen over the past 2 weeks. We have increased communications about the epidemic and inspected poultry trading venues".

In Hanoi, Pham Chi Linh, Deputy Chairman of Chuong Duong ward People’s Committee, Hoan Kiem district, said that since the beginning of April, local authorities have sent more inspection teams of policemen, market managers, and quarantine staff to examine temporary markets. When poultry of ambiguous origin are found, they will be collected and slaughtered according to regulations. Linh told reporters: "We added several preventive measures after receiving the government’s instruction. We asked households to sign a commitment not to trade live poultry and intensified inspections to prevent clandestine poultry trading. In addition, we notified hamlets about precautions people should take against bird flu, particularly H7N9".

Preventing poultry smuggling is important to fight bird flu. (Photo: vietbao.vn)

In Ho Chi Minh city and the southern province of Ninh Thuan where large numbers of swallows are raised, administrators have taken stronger steps to monitor swallow farming following a report that some birds had died of unknown causes. Leaders of Ho Chi Minh city’s veterinary sector asked sub-departments to collect samples for examination and instructed farmers to promptly update local veterinary staff and administrators about swallow deaths. Farmers need to regularly disinfect the birds’ habitats and functional agencies need to tighten their management of swallow farming in the city.