Two Vietnam's northern provinces, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho, have just announced bird flu outbreaks in their territories, raising the total number of affected localities nationwide to 16, local officials told Xinhua Friday.

"The People's Committee of Hoa Binh, on the afternoon of November 17, announced an outbreak in Hoa Son commune of Luong Son district. Over 800 fowls died on November 15, but we have already culled all 2, 100 poultry in the three affected flocks in the commune," said Nguyen Cong Gung, head of the provincial Veterinary Bureau.

The bureau has detoxificated the affected areas and set up quarantine checkpoints on roads leading to the areas, he said, adding that it is speeding up vaccination among 3.4-3.5 million fowls in the province.

"We will have vaccinated 2.5 million fowls by November 23. Some 1 million poultry cannot be vaccinated now, because they are too young," he noted.

An official from Phu Tho's Veterinary Bureau said the provincial People's Committee announced a bird flu outbreak in Dong Thinh commune of Yen Lap district after 80 white-feathered ducks died from November 13-14.

"We have already culled the whole flock of 100 white-feathered ducks," the official said, declining to be named, and adding that Phu Tho is vaccinating poultry in the province for the second time.

According to the Vietnam's Veterinary Department, bird flu, since October 1, has spread to 96 communes of 16 cities and provinces nationwide, killing and leading to the forced culling of nearly 600,000 fowls. Of the affected localities, Hanoi capital and southern Bac Lieu province have detected no new outbreaks for 23 days and 46 days, respectively.

Major cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, have imposed bans on raising poultry and ornamental birds in their inner areas. The bans are to come into force either in mid- November or late this month.

Now, Vietnam is strengthening bird flu vaccination among fowls. To date, it has so far vaccinated nearly 100 million fowls nationwide, of which some 24 million poultry have been vaccinated twice, and the remainder will be vaccinated the second time from now to the end of this month.

Previous outbreaks starting in December 2003 killed and led to the forced culling of some 46.6 million fowls in Vietnam, causing losses of 3.5 trillion Vietnamese dong (US$221.5 million).

Vietnam has detected 65 human cases of bird flu infections, including 22 fatalities, in 25 cities and provinces since December 2004, the Health Ministry announced on November 17, noting that the accumulated numbers of bird flu infections and fatalities since December 2003 are 92 and 42, respectively.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2005)