The Department of Animal Health said that 100 million doses would be distributed to the southern region for vaccinating ducklings.

The remainder was meant for the other regions, it added.

So far this year 165 million birds, including 87.36 million fowls and 72.82 million ducks, have been given shots under the first supplementary vaccination campaign.

Bird flu first hit Vietnam in 2004, killing 46 people and millions of poultry.

However, despite being one of the worst-affected nations, Vietnam has come in for praise from the World Health Organization for effectively combating bird flu by adopting strict policies on slaughter and mass vaccination of birds.

Source: Sai Gon Giai Phong - Translated by Trọng Nhiên