Localities, especially border provinces between Vietnam and China, have been required to crack down on the transportation, trade and slaughter of poultry and poultry products without quarantine and clear origins.

Vietnam is on high alert after the bird flu strain A/H7N9 that caused more than 100 deaths in neighbouring China, the Thanh Nien (Young People) online newspaper reported.

The ministry also recommends that citizens avoid poultry and poultry products without quarantine and clear origins, including frozen chicken.

Tran Dac Phu, head of the General Department of Preventative Medicine warned people that infected frozen chicken and chicken eggs could still transmit the A/H7N9 virus to humans.

Vietnam on high alert over bird flu risk

Vietnam's Ministry of Health has ordered provinces and cities across the country to urgently take appropriate measures to arrest the spread of the A/H7N9 virus, commonly known as bird flu.