Vietnam yesterday reported its first human bird flu death in more than three months, taking the country's toll to 42, amid fears that the deadly virus could thrive in the coming winter flu season.
The 35-year-old man from Hanoi died in hospital last month, after testing positive for the H5N1 virus. He was the first person known to have succumbed to avian flu in Vietnam since July 24.
"Samples taken from the victim were found to be positive for the virus in tests carried out at the National Institute of Epidemiology in Hanoi," health ministry official Tran Duc Long said.
PHOTO: EPA
The man was admitted to the Institute of Tropical Medicine in the capital on Oct. 26 and died three days later, Long said.
Official figures now show a total of 92 human cases of bird flu since late 2003, with 42 deaths. The country accounts for more than two-thirds of total human fatalities from bird flu.
News of the latest death came as experts meeting in Geneva warned that a bird flu pandemic was inevitable, could kill millions and inflict up to US$800 billion in economic damage.
Vietnam placed an order yesterday for 25 million doses of Tamiflu, the frontline medicine against a feared global flu pandemic.
Vietnam currently has 600,000 capsules in stock for a population of 82 million, but is also pursuing talks with Swiss drug maker Roche on producing Tamiflu for itself.
"The health ministry is negotiating with representatives of Roche in order to obtain the right to produce Tamiflu in Vietnam," ministry official Vu Thi Hiep said.
Efforts to prepare for a possible pandemic have gathered pace as winter approaches with experts warning that the cold weather could allow the virus to thrive.
"As we approach December and January, with the temperature dropping, the number of outbreaks is going to rise," said Fabio Friscia, a Hanoi-based representative of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.
The fear is that the more H5N1 virus spreads, the greater chance it has to mutate, picking up genes from ordinary flu and making it highly contagious from human to human.
The state press said yesterday that bird flu had broken out among poultry in six provinces in recent weeks and quoted Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat as saying more than 20,000 chickens and ducks had been culled.
"When you have more cases and more outbreaks, of course it's of concern but at the same time it shows that the surveillance is improving, which is very important," said WHO spokeswoman in Hanoi Dida Connor.
But Vice Premier Nguyen Tan Dung voiced concern over the ineffectiveness of efforts to combat bird flu.
"The fight against avian influenza does not correspond to the urgency of the situation," Dung said, pointing at a lack of awareness about the virus among large sections of the population
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS