Bird flu spreads to sixth Vietnamese province

HANOI, Jan 14 (Reuters) Bird flu has been confirmed in poultry in a sixth Vietnamese province despite efforts by the government to stop it spreading.

The Animal Health Department said in a report today the H5N1 bird flu virus had been found in ducks in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh, extending the spread of bird flu in southern provinces in recent weeks.

Tra Vinh is adjacent to Vinh Long province where bird flu struck a chicken farm a week ago.

Officials have confirmed outbreaks of the virus in ducks and chickens in four other Mekong delta provinces further southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, where market inspectors have restricted the movement and sale of poultry.

Vietnam has had no human H5N1 cases since November 2005 but the virus that first hit the Southeast Asian country in late 2003 re-emerged last month in Mekong delta poultry.

Agriculture officials have warned the country's 84 million people that the virus could spread nationwide via migrating birds.

The risk of infections could also rise before the Tet Lunar New Year festival in mid-February, where the slaughter and eating of poultry is a traditional part of the new year's feast.

Bird flu killed 42 of the 93 people infected in Vietnam in 2003-2005.

It has killed 159 people globally since 2003, according to the World Health Organisation, spreading from Asia to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

REUTERS SSC BST1550