Vietnam steps up efforts to control bird flu

As part of its stepped-up efforts to control the spread of bird flu, Vietnamese authorities have created a network of 14 hospitals to identify and deal with any outbreaks among people. The country has mounted a round-the-clock surveillance effort and is stockpiling therapeutics to combat any new bird flu cases that arise. Up to 20 beds in each facility are being set aside for victims and infectious disease departments will become isolation areas in the event of new human cases. Vietnam is credited with developing one of the most aggressive campaigns to control bird flu, which authorities are concerned may mutate into a virus that is more easily spread among humans, sparking a global pandemic.

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