Myanmar announces VVND-disease-free status for Pyay township

YANGON, March 15 -- Myanmar has announced Pyay township in Bago division as already being free from Viscerotropic Velogenic Newcastle Disease (VVND), a virulent chicken disease which struck the township in January this year.

Following the announcement by Myanmar Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, the previous ban on sale of chickens bred form VVND-disease-hit township since it was detected has been lifted, the local weekly Voice reported Sunday.

When the VVND was found in Pyay, the authorities culled over 10,000 infected chickens in the area then as part of its measures to deal with the case.

Meanwhile, VVND, which struck Maha Aungmye last month, one of the municipal townships in Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay, has also been under control since early this month.

The disease was detected after some quails died suddenly in a quail farm in the township on Feb. 9.

Sale of chickens and quails were then also banned in the Mandalay market.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar livestock authorities continued to warn people against bird flu, especially cross-border one, calling on them to exercise a long-term precaution in the aspects despite status as a bird-flu-free country.

The authorities have urged keeping awareness about the modes of infection of the avian influenza and intensifying precautionary and educational measures to prevent any occurrence in humans and birds.

In April last year, the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) declared Myanmar as a bird-flu-free country three months after the country was proved that there was no residual bird flu virus remained over the period since January.

Over the two years between 2006 and 2007, there were numerous outbreaks of the avian influenza in Myanmar covering 25 townships of six states and divisions.

All of the occurrences were blamed for infecting from abroad especially that the virus was carried into the country by migratory birds from the cold regions in the world infecting local birds, according to the LBVD.

Myanmar reported outbreak of the avian influenza in the country for the first time in some poultry farms in Mandalay and Sagaing divisions in early 2006, followed by those in Yangon division in early 2007, in Mon state's Thanbyuzayat and western Bago division's Letpadan in July and in eastern Bago division's Thanatpin and in Yangon division's Hmawby in October the same year.