Vietnam's prime minister has ordered authorities to tighten controls to prevent the spread of bird flu, a newspaper reported Saturday, while a health official said the deadly virus may have re-emerged among poultry in the capital. Prime Minister Phan Van Khai's comments followed a recent string of human cases of avian influenza in Vietnam. Since last month, six people have tested positive for the fatal H5N1 strain. Of those, four have died while two remain in critical condition. At least 24 people have died in Vietnam from the H5N1 strain of bird flu since January 2004. Health officials declared the country free of bird flu in March but the virus re-emerged late last year. About 400 chickens and ducks have died and a further 400 have been culled in Hanoi, said Tran Manh Giang, director of the city's animal health bureau. Tests were being conducted to determine if they were infected with H5N1. --more 1305 Local Time 1005 GMT
