Two New Cases of Bird Flu Detected In Perak
Bernama, 21 Mar 2006

IPOH, March 21 (Bernama) -- The H5N1 avian flu virus has been detected in Changkat Legong near Gopeng and Titi Gantung in Bota but no birds have died of the disease in the two areas.

Perak Agriculture and Agro-Based Committee Chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said the two new cases had been confirmed by the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) in Ipoh Tuesday through swab samples taken from several free-range chickens.

The samples were taken during the monitoring operation that was launched after two cases of bird flu were detected at Changkat Tualang in Gopeng and the Ecopark at the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort near Taiping last week.

Changkat Legong is adjacent to Changkat Tualang where over 41,000 fowls had been culled and within five km radius from the index case in Changkat Tualang while Titi Gantung is located about 60 km from there.

The Ecopark at the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort is about 150 km north of Gopeng. A total of 239 exotic birds kept at the Ecopark have been destroyed.

Mohd Radzi said the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) and Health Ministry had launched the operation to cull fowls in Changkat Legong and Titi Gantung but he was not sure how many fowls needed to be destroyed. He also advised the public not to panic because no case of human infection had been detected so far.-- BERNAMA