VIENTIANE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The bird flu virus H5N1 has been detected at a market in Xaythany district in the Lao capital Vientiane, according to a report from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries under the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Lao National Radio reported on Monday that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry last Friday officially confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, after a concerning 30 out of 65 poultry samples collected from the market tested positive for the virus.

After an initial discovery, 11 additional samples were collected, revealing the presence of the H5N1 virus in five samples and H9N2, a subtype of avian influenza, in another five samples, said the report.

In response to the outbreak, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry has issued directives to the livestock sector to collaborate with relevant agencies to investigate the sources of infection, gather essential information, isolate affected areas, and implement measures such as the destruction of infected poultry or the zoning off of high-risk areas.

Additionally, local residents are also being instructed to play a vital role in curbing the spread of the disease.

H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry but can sometimes spread from poultry to humans. Its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness. Enditem

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