VIENTIANE – The Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Department of Livestock and Fisheries recently reported an H5N1 bird flu outbreak in a Vientiane market.
The Lao centre for animal disease research said, of the 65 poultry samples it received from Danxang market in Saythani district, 30 were tested positive with H5N1.
An additional 11 samples were then collected for further clarification, with the H5N1 virus found in five samples and H9N2 in five others.
The Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Vientiane directed the livestock sector to join hands with competent agencies to investigate to determine the sources of infection, collect information and isolate the location, destroy infected poultry or zone off high risk areas, and instruct farmers to curb the spread of the disease. (VNS)