A government official has urged localities nationwide to close all poultry hatching houses that fail to meet set requirements in an effort to stamp out bird flu in the country.

At a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Bird Flu Prevention and Control in Hanoi on July 10, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong also ordered the compulsory culling of all poultry flocks, which have not been vaccinated on schedule or have not receive two vaccine injections.

That was the Prime Minister’s instruction, he said, adding that the move aimed to contain the spread of the disease and reduce the breeding of poultry at this moment.

Bui Quang Anh, Director of the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said at the meeting that the epidemic has shown signs of waning in the northern region although two new outbreaks were discovered in Ninh Binh province on July 9.

However, the official warned of the recurrence of avian influenza in the Mekong Delta as the southernmost province of Ca Mau has reported a new outbreak.

Northern Vinh Phuc province on July 10 became the latest locality to be free from the disease after it detected no new outbreak for 21 successive days.

The exit of Vinh Phuc leaves nine localities in the list of bird flu-affected provinces, including Haiphong, Bac Giang, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh, Ha Tinh and Quang Ninh in the north, Nghe An and Quang Nam in the central region, and Ca Mau in the south.

However, Haiphong City has only one day to go on July 10 before it can have its name omitted. (VNA)