A renewed outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Vietnam has spread to the central and northern regions of the country. Infected ducks have been discovered in the capital city, Hanoi, and in poultry across the country. Six people are confirmed as having contracted the virus since the start of 2005, and four of these have died.Vietnam was heavily hit by the H5N1 flu epidemic in 2004, with 31 confirmed human cases, 21 of which proved fatal. It declared the virus under control in March 2004 after killing nearly one fifth of its poultry.But the virus resurfaced in late December 2004, with outbreaks in poultry across the southern Mekong Delta. Now Vietnam reports that H5N1 has been detected in ducks and chickens in the central province of Quang Nam, and in recent days it was found in the northern province of Ha Nam, and in Hanoi.
