A key task of the animal healthsector this year is to avert disease epidemics among livestock, poultryand aquatic products, especially bird flu, blue-ear, foot-and-mouth, andother animal-to-human diseases, Deputy Minister of Agriculture andRural Development Vu Van Tam announced at a conference reviewing theDepartment of Animal Health’s 2014 performance and determining its tasksfor 2015 in Hanoi on January 23.

As the Lunar NewYear holiday approaches, he asked the department to continuemaintaining epidemic-free breeding zones and inspecting units at thegrassroots level to facilitate early detections of any violations.

He also admitted that the capability of the animal care network andthe breeding skills of farmers across the country still fall short ofexpectations.

Pham Van Dong, head of the departmentsaid that while bird flu and blue-ear hotbeds have been brought undercontrol, foot-and-mouth outbreaks spread across six communes in thenorthern mountainous province of Son La.

A bird-flu outbreak is expected in the Mekong Delta this year, especially around breeding areas and wet markets.

In 2014, white spot disease, acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome,and environmental pollution impacted over 59,500 hectares ofbrackish-water shrimp.

So far, 21 cities and provinces nationwide have developed strategies to control possible epidemic threats and outbreaks.-VNA