Vietnam Still Safe for Tourists despite Bird Flu: WHO

Vietnam Still Safe for Tourists despite Bird Flu: WHO

The World Health Organisation said it is not planning any travel restriction advices for Vietnam despite the spread of the bird flu virus in the communist country.

"If international travelers don't do anything stupid, such as going into chicken farms, there is currently no danger," WHO Asia-Pacific spokesman Peter Cordingley said.

WHO said in a recent statement that "To date, most human cases linked to contact with poultry are thought to have acquired their infection following exposure to dead or diseased birds around households. Evidence suggests that particularly risky exposure occurs during the slaughter, defeathering, and preparation of poultry for cooking."

Who is planning to provide Vietnam with a relief package to improve medical services in the country in the fight against the fatal epidemic.

Local reports show that bird flu has returned to 27 out of total 64 cities and provinces in Vietnam. It has killed nine people and some 600,000 poultry have been killed or forced culling.

In early 2004, the bird flu epidemic killed 20 people and around 36 million poultry throughout the country.

Vietnam is expecting influx of international arrivals, especially overseas Vietnamese, during the upcoming traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet), which falls in early February.

The country aims to receive 3.2 million foreign visitors and earn total tourism revenues of VND30 trillion (US$1.91 billion) this year, up 14 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, against last year.

• (Capital Security)