Published Date: 2010-04-27 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/MBDS> Porcine reproductive & respiratory syndrome - Viet Nam (04)
Archive Number: 20100427.1359
PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME - VIET NAM (04)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 27 Apr 2010
Source: Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Daily [edited]
<http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Health/2010/4/81530/>
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Virus, also
known as blue ear pig disease, is spreading through northern Viet Nam
at an alarming rate, sending the government scrambling to adopt
counter-measures.
A total of 9 provinces and cities in the country have reported
outbreaks of the disease, the Epidemic Prevention Steering Board
reported at a meeting on the issue convened by the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development.
Some 10 000 pigs have died of blue ear disease in the northern
provinces of Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Hanoi and the
central province of Quang Nam, according to local departments of animal health.
Vu Thach Bon, Thach Loi Commune People's Committee Chairman in Hai
Duong, said security forces and veterinarians had refused to destroy
dead pigs due to a lack of funds and farmers threw the swine into
garbage dumps and rivers as a last resort. The dead pigs thrown into
rivers and dams fueled the spread of the disease.
Swine breeders in Hai Duong are in despair with 6000 pigs infected
after only 3 weeks.
Thousands of swine are being infected with the disease daily and the
quick spread has worried local authorities and caused concern among breeders.
The government quickly ordered harsh penalties for provincial
administrators that fail to follow regulations on controlling the
disease. Task forces in Thach Loi commune in Hai Duong immediately
collected dead pigs in the canals and fields.
Hoang Van Nam from the Department of Animal Health at the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, said that provinces had been slow
to announce outbreaks of the disease because they had to wait for
tests to show up positive.
[Byline: Phuc Van]
--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[According to the newswire, PRRS spread rapidly through the northern
part of Viet Nam. Approximately 10 000 pigs in Hai Duong provinces
were affected by PRRS. Currently, PRRS outbreaks have occurred in 9
provinces (Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Hai
Phong, Hanoi, Nam Dinh and Quang Nam) in Viet Nam during the past 21 days.
The article also reported that there are some problems with PRRS
outbreak containment in the northern Viet Nam. Problems are: 1)
throwing away dead pigs into garbage dumpsters and rivers, 2) lack of
compensation for destroying infected pigs, and 3) waiting for a
laboratory positive results before reporting PRRS outbreak. However,
Viet Nam officials are strengthening PRRS control measures through
law enforcement.
More information on PRRS outbreaks in Viet Nam is available at
<http://www.cucthuy.gov.vn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1607&Itemid=64>
(in Vietnamese) and from prior PRO/MBDS postings listed below.
For a map of Viet Nam with provinces, see
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VietnameseProvincesMap.png>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Viet Nam can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/008c>. This map shows other outbreaks in Viet
Nam and surrounding countries that have been reported on ProMED-mail
and PRO/MBDS. The postings can be directly accessed through this map. - Mod.TD]