Bird Flu Update: ‘Virus similar to Indonesian strain’
Hamidah Atan
NST, 28 Feb 2006

PUTRAJAYA, Mon. Laboratory tests on some 40 dead chickens in Gombak revealed they had a virus similar to the one that killed chickens in Indonesia.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today tests conducted at the ministry’s laboratory in Petaling Jaya confirmed the sub-type virus in the H5N1 strain as similar to those found in the dead poultry in Indonesia.

"The tests were later verified by our other laboratory in Ipoh. The species of chickens which carried H5N1 were free-range chickens (ayam kampung)," he said.

Muhyiddin said the tests were carried out on 40 of 150 dead chickens.

"I am not saying that it comes from there but the virus is the same as the one detected in Indonesia," he told a Press conference today.

Muhyiddin said the authorities had been successful in stepping up measures to control the outbreak.

"We have asked the police to help us ensure there are no cockerel fights in the affected areas."

The authorities will also come down hard on traders found selling live chickens at four markets in the affected villages.
 

"We have told them to stop slaughtering chickens until Malaysia is declared free from bird flu. We have also told City Hall to monitor the sale of live chickens from the affected areas."

Muhyiddin said Malaysians whose chickens had been culled would be compensated, but not illegal immigrants.

On the decline in consumption of chicken, Muhyiddin said the public had nothing to worry about as chickens supplied by commercial farms in the country were healthy.

As of yesterday in the affected areas, 3,418 fowls and 1,447 eggs had been destroyed.