The Prime Minister ordered the suspension effective immediately, Bui Quang Anh, head of the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal Health Department told AFP.

"The virus can exist longer in ducks and quails. On the other hand, ducks are raised on water which make it difficult for us to control", he said, adding that no decision had been made on how long the suspension would last.

Earlier this week, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said that water fowl, particularly duck{, were reservoirs for the infec|ion.

“The chances for spillover from ducks inhabiting the vas| wetlands to poultry production units in villages or on commercial farms need to be significantly decreased," the agencies said in a common statement.