Irish travellers to Asia were last night warned to avoid contact with live animals and poultry while abroad, following three deaths in Vietnam as a result of an influenza outbreak.
Other countries to have reported outbreaks of the H5N1 avian infection include Japan, Thailand, China, Indonesia and Cambodia. The National Disease Surveillance Centre (NDSC) issued the strong warning to travellers to the region, which has become very popular among Irish students and backpackers.
Dr Suzanne Cotter, public health specialist with the NDSC, last night said "the confirmation of these human cases emphasises the risk of virus transmission from infected livestock and poultry. Large amounts of the virus are known to be excreted in the droppings of infected birds."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is currently working with local governments to contain the situation and is investigating how the outbreaks occurred. According to a statement released yesterday, the WHO is also investigating several deaths in Vietnam caused by severe pneumonia.
"We have been informed that specimens from a small number of additional patients, from both northern and southern parts of the country, are also being tested.
"The Vietnamese government has been investigating cases of severe pneumonia, most of which have been fatal, that have been detected in children and young adults over the past three weeks," the statement read.
At present, there are no travel restrictions in place to the countries affected by the infection.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs last night said: "We would, of course, offer advice to Irish people travelling to the region, but that advice is guided strongly by the findings of the NDSC and the WHO. We would urge any Irish people travelling to the affected areas to at all times heed the advice and warnings of the local authorities."