Experts from the ministry would work with provincial authorities next week to discuss measures for controlling the disease, said Mr Tan.

The disease has continued to cause more difficulties in the central province over the past two weeks. Blue-ear disease had hit 31 communes in four districts, including Dien Ban, Que Son, Thang Binh and Duy Xuyen, he said.

Health authorities have brought various disease outbreaks among livestock under control in 12 cities and provinces during the past two weeks; according to the Department of Animal Health under the MARD.

Only eight provinces are still classified as affected. Under United Nations regulations, any are must be free of new outbreaks among livestock for 21 days before they can be declared safe.

The northern province of Quang Ninh and the southern province of Bac Lieu were both hit by bird flu and blue-ear disease.

Ca Mau, Soc Trang and Dien Bien provinces were also hit by bird flu, and pigs with blue ear disease were discovered in Quang Nam Province.

Cattle in Bac Can and Kon Tum provinces were hit by foot-and-mouth disease, a highly contagious disease among some types of cattle. It can prove fatal for humans who consume infected meat, although these cases are rare.

"The Department of Animal Health has asked sub-departments in affected provinces to vaccinate their livestock and poultry from now until the end of this month," said Dam Xuan Thanh, deputy director of the department.

Thanh said other provinces should strengthen their quarantine efforts to prevent sick animals from being transported into their localities.

Veterinary sectors in affected provinces were assigned the task of raising public awareness of the diseases, and of giving farmers guidance on raising and ensuring their animal's resistance to the diseases, he said.

The Binh Son District People's Committee in the central province of Quang Ngai plans to set up a temporary animal quarantine station on the Ky Ha-Khe Hai-Dung Quat road to control livestock transportation from other provinces, especially from Quang Nam.

The province has two other quarantine stations on Highway 1A in Binh Chanh Commune, Binh Son District, and on Highway 24B in Ba To District. Veterinary workers sterilise vehicles that transport domestic livestock along the road.

Son Tinh District authorities last Wednesday culled nearly 600kg of pigs transported from Quang Nam.

Further Reading

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Find out more information on Blue Ear Disease (PRRS) by clicking here.

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Go to our previous news item on this story by clicking here.