Avian influenza has led to the culling of thousands of poultry in Vietnam, reported Agence France Presse. Six provinces have been hit, with about 3,600 chickens and ducks infected and 14,000 destroyed since January 15 in Ha Tinh, where the outbreak is the most severe, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
A ministry official has expressed concern that H5N1 could spread in central Vietnam and the Mekong Delta because many birds are being transported for slaughter in preparation for the Chinese New Year on February 14.