7 Sept 2011, Ha Noi - Animal Health H5N1 viruses will likely continue to persist and be a concern for Viet Nam and more widely, posing a threat to the poultry industries, and remain a potential source of pandemic human influenza. It should be recognized that influenza viruses continuously evolve through mutation and re-assortments that this is a natural process that requires on-going monitoring.

Viet Nam has had an active control programme against H5N1 avian influenza since the disease was first detected in 2003. This control programme has been successful and cases of H5N1 in poultry and people have declined progressively and dramatically – however many challenges remain. Viet Nam’s strong commitment to fight highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is the major factor behind the success for containment of the disease. Several donors and agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have been supporting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) since the first HPAI outbreak in 2003 and continue to do so.

  Click here to download the UN Viet Nam Factsheet on H5N1

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