HANOI, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- By March 1, no new bird flu outbreakcases were reported and the epidemic has been contained, accordingto a report presented to Vietnam's National Assembly Standing Committee.

    The committee, which started its five-day meeting presided by Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Truong Quang Duoc on Monday, had some opinions about measures to recover the country's poultry industry, local media reported Tuesday.

    According to the Central Veterinarian Department, by Monday, 700 out of 2,573 affected communes and wards nationwide, or 27.2 percent, were eligible for announcing the end of the outbreak, since they had reported no new cases and no new fowls culled for at least 30 days. Meanwhile, 43 out of 57 affected cities and provinces, or 75.4 percent, had detected no new affected communes and wards for between nine and 25 days.

    As of March 1, a total of 38.3 million fowls, of which 50 percent are chickens, 30 percent ducks and gooses, and 20 percent quails and other birds, had either died or been culled. In late 2003, Vietnam had a poultry population of 254 million. Enditem