HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has called on ministries, Government agencies and local authorities nationwide to roll out precautionary measures to stop poultry and cattle diseases.

Directive No12/CT-TTg the PM has just signed focuses on implementing measures to prevent and control livestock and poultry diseases, especially avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that since early this year, diseases among cattle, poultry and other livestock had started to climb.

The ministry had recorded 34 avian influenza A/H5N6 and A/H5N1 outbreaks in 10 provinces and cities since early this year.

More than 100,000 poultry had been culled, the ministry reported.

These strains of influenza virus were infectious and fatal to humans. Avian influenza caused by A/H5N6 is also a dangerous, fast-spreading infectious disease, killing poultry en masse.

There were more than 100 foot and mouth disease outbreaks in nine provinces and cities, killing hundreds of cattle.

The country is determined not to let epidemics break out, especially given the COVID-19 epidemic, according to the Directive.

Leaders in provinces and cities where outbreaks had been reported must concentrate their resources to control the situation.

In cases where epidemics are at risk of spreading, localities should declare a state of emergency following regulations.

They should also administer vaccines and zone off outbreaks, while setting up teams to work in these areas, the Directive notes.

The Directive also states that the Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for strengthening market management, proactively detecting and strictly handling cases of the transport and consumption of live animals of unclear origins products, especially at wholesale markets.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for supervising and detecting suspected cases of influenza A/H5N1 and A/H5N6 in poultry, and preventing epidemics from spreading. — VNS