Previously, since June 29, Mr. Nguyen Huy Long's chicken farm had a situation of scattered chicken deaths. In particular, on June 30, this chicken farm had up to 200 dead chickens. Immediately after the discovery, the Agricultural Technical Service Center of Ha Long City took samples for testing and had the results as announced by the Veterinary Department of Region II.

It is noteworthy that the A/H5N8 flu strain has just been discovered in a livestock farm in Vu Oai commune, Ha Long city, and is the first flu strain recorded in Vietnam. According to Mr. Tran Xuan Dong, Head of the provincial Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, the danger level of the A/H5N8 flu strain is that it not only kills poultry but can also spread to humans without leaving symptoms. If the infected person has an underlying medical condition, the disease will develop. If the person is healthy and has good resistance, the pathogen will not develop but will remain in the body and develop, mutate, and have the risk of creating dangerous disease variants in humans, including diseases that can be transmitted from person to person...

Russia records 7 workers at a chicken farm infected with the A H5N8 influenza virus

With such a dangerous nature and level, immediately after detecting the epidemic in Vu Oai commune, the functional units of the province and Ha Long city urgently focused on implementing measures to isolate and suppress the epidemic at the outbreak; At the same time, resolutely prevent the risk of widespread spread of the disease...

Because these are the first cases of A/H5N8 influenza virus detected in Vietnam, with the risk of spreading to humans, the authorities, especially the Veterinary Department, need to coordinate with the Health sector to conduct research, analysis, and investigation to clarify the emergence and appearance of this new virus strain and the mechanism of transmission to humans, in order to promptly take effective prevention and control measures. This not only contributes to protecting production and livestock, but more importantly, protecting human health from the risk of disease transmission from animals...

In early March this year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) called on the Vietnamese Government and the community to be vigilant against the possibility of A/H5N8 influenza transmission to humans when 7 workers at a chicken farm in Russia were found to be infected with the A/H5N8 influenza virus.

This is also the first report of A/H5N8 influenza virus transmission from poultry to humans, although the virus has been circulating in poultry and wild birds since 2016. All 7 human cases mentioned above were asymptomatic. To date, there has been no evidence that this virus causes severe illness in humans or is transmitted from person to person, so these cases of infection are due to infected poultry transmitting to humans.

In Vietnam, the Department of Animal Health's surveillance program has never detected the H5N8 virus. Therefore, the recent case detected at a livestock farm in Vu Oai commune, Ha Long city, is the first case of A/H5N8 influenza virus detected in Vietnam.

According to the WHO's Communicable Diseases and Health Emergencies Coordinator, although the risk of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N8) virus in Vietnam is very low, we still need to be vigilant and continue to take personal protective measures to prevent avian influenza.

According to the WHO Coordinator, avian influenza infection in humans is caused by direct contact with infected live or dead poultry. Therefore, we should continue to coordinate surveillance in both the medical and veterinary sectors. The community can participate in disease prevention and control by reporting cases of sick or dead poultry as soon as possible and ensuring personal preventive measures are taken.

To prevent and control this disease, experts recommend that poultry farmers strengthen biosecurity measures in the farming area to minimize the risk of virus invasion; strictly follow the vaccination schedule and ensure nutrition for poultry; do not allow visitors into the farming area.

For poultry traders, only collect poultry from clear sources and sell in permitted areas; always wash hands with clean water and soap after contact with poultry.

For the community, wash hands before preparing food and regularly during cooking and after contact with animals; cook food thoroughly, especially poultry and eggs; avoid contact with sick or dead animals; immediately report any unusual illness or death of poultry to the local veterinary agency...

According to Baoquangninh.com.vn