“The development of the disease at Ba Dien commune is really complicated and critical; the numbers of new cases and recurrence cases are increasing dramatically.”-Han Phong, People’s Committee in Ba To District

April 22, 2012, health officials in Vietnam are asking for help from the United Nations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in trying to identify and treat a skin disease that’s already killed 27 people including 19 children.

More than 100 people are hospitalized.  At least 171 people are infected.  Many people are getting sick a second time (29 so far), which indicates that you can not build an immunity to it!

Last year the province recorded more than 150 people with similar symptoms.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health says the virus spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s oral discharges or saliva, the fluid from burst blisters or the feces.

You end up with a high fever, loss of appetite and a rash that covers the hands and feet.  If treated right away people seem to get better, but those who wait too long end up with liver problems and eventually multi-organ failure.

Vietnam’s Military Chemical Institute is now investigating the Ba To District of Quang Ngai Province.  There are reports the district is now under quarantine: “We have to block the entrances here to stop patients from getting out and spreading the disease. Since we don’t know what caused the disease, we will have to rely on our rituals and prayers.”-Pham Van Tray, Reu village

Quang Ngai Province is that area where the infamous My Lai Massacre took place at the hands of U.S. Army soldiers.  The same province saw forced relocation of Vietnamese villagers, by the U.S. and its puppet government of South Vietnam, in the name of protecting them from the “commies”.

In May, 2011, another district in the same Province was harassed and terrorized by an unknown beast.  Roaring sounds and strange footprints were found at the base of the Dinh Mountain in Son Tra Commune.  At least 20 dogs were killed, most were found with their heads and internal organs missing.

In Lao Cai Province people claimed to have seen the beast that’s killing pet dogs, and other domesticated animals.  They said it is a mutant dog, tall with a fur coat varying in description from white spots to yellow stripes.

This year fires torn through two huge markets, in the provinces of Quang Ngai and Quang Binh, causing about $300,000 USD in damage.

Also this year, farmers on central Quang Ngai Province‘s Ly Son Island, known as the garlic kingdom, have suffered their biggest crop failure ever.  Farmers lost 80% of their garlic to unusually heavy rain!

(now you see why I say they’re cursed)

Back to the killer “virus”.  I say “virus” because there are reports that the reason the Military Chemical Institute is involved is because some officials think the “virus” is really an herbicide called Kanup 480 SL.

Another report said that most farmers in the area started using herbicides only two years ago, that’s when the symptoms began (and sightings of mutant feral dogs).

Many reports say the herbicide is made by the United States, however my research revealed that it is made by a Vietnamese company called Thang Bac Giang (Vithaco), not the other company that’s being named in most reports (there are several companies using the misreported name, one of which turns out to be a major textile manufacturer).

The primary ingredient in Kanup 480 SL is Glyphosate IPA Salt 480gr / l.   It was patented by U.S. corporation Monsanto in the 1970s.  It is widely used in the United States.  Lab tests on animals revealed mutations, which could explain the mutant dogs killing people’s pets in Vietnam.  U.S. lab studies were supposedly inconclusive as to what happens to humans who’re contaminated with it.

According to some poor translations of local Vietnamese news media, most people who are sick, or who died, had just finished spraying their fields with Kanup 480 SL.   From what I read, it seems like many did not mix the chemical properly and used it in concentrated form.

This might be another case of a corporation that tricked farmers who had never used chemicals in their life, into buying a new fangled contraption (Kanup 480 SL).  The local reports I read say the farmers in Quang Ngai Province only started using the herbicide in the past two years, and it really looks like they do not understand how to use it, or how harmful it could be.