Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, on June 5, again urged localities to embark on public awareness campaigns to educate the public on the disease and its spread, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The minister, who is director of the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Prevention and Control, instructed the Committee’s local chapters to step up vaccination for poultry, particularly for water fowl and tighten control over poultry transportation, hatching and trading.

Bird flu was discovered in five more provinces last week, bringing to 15 the total number of localities hit by the virus since early May 2007, Bui Quang Anh, director of the Veterinary Department, told the Committee’s meeting in Hanoi, on May 6.

Highlighting the minister's warnings, he went on to say that in Nghe An, the first province hit by the deadly virus, the epidemic has still not been contained after a month and there are legitimate fears that human transmissions may begin to spread.

Director Anh squarely placed the blame for the spread of the disease on sub-standard poultry hatching and transportation management by local authorities.