Bird flu has stricken 23 Vietnamese provinces and cities, killing and leading to the forced culling ofnearly 504,000 fowls since Jan. 1, local newspaper People's Army reported on Sunday.

Vietnam has detected bird flu outbreaks in 232 communes in 23 provinces, mainly in the southern region, the paper said.

Since Dec. 28, 2004, nine cases of human infection have been reported in the country, seven in the south and two in the north. Among the nine victims, seven have died.

The government has ordered the Ministry of Health to ensure thesmooth operation of hospitals which treat bird flu patients. Otherministries and local governments nationwide are instructed to monitor the transport and trade of poultry more closely.

It has placed a temporary ban on importing fowls and their eggsfrom neighboring countries.

Vietnam is considering the possibility of vaccinating fowls, and researching the use of vaccine for humans.

The National Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute has used bird flu vaccines it developed on mice, and will test on monkeys in February for one month and a half and then on humans for two months.

In late March 2004, Vietnam declared an end to the bird flu outbreak that started in December 2003 and killed or led to the forced culling of 17 percent of its poultry population, or 43.2 million fowls.

Source: Xinhua