HANOI, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will quarantine passengers from bird flu-hit areas entering the country at the airport of Ho Chi Minh city, local newspaper Youth reported Wednesday.

    According to a plan issued on Tuesday by Ho Chi Minh city to prevent bird flu in the country, the International Medical Quarantine Center of the city will cooperate with airport Tan Son Nhat of the city to carry out the quarantine of passengers and goods, entering the country via airport Tan Son Nhat, from the areas hit by bird flu and other dangerous infectious diseases, so that these diseases would not come into the country.

    Besides, the airport maintains measuring body temperature of passengers entering the country from the areas hit by dangerous infectious diseases. Once suspected patients are found, they will be adopted to the Tropical Disease Hospital of the city and be isolated properly.

    Bird flu, starting to strike Vietnam in December 2003, has hit 16 Vietnamese cities and provinces nationwide since early May.