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Random sampling,
slaughter ban in open areas
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KUALA LUMPUR: The order has gone out to all states to do random sampling on all poultry and birds to check the spread of the bird flu. Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday all state and local governments have also been directed to ban the slaughter of birds in wet markets and open areas. He said these are the precautionary measures to prevent the bird flu virus from spreading, particularly to humans, although there have been no cases of humans being infected here. On the latest cases, he said samples |
taken from Changkat Legong, Bota and Ipoh had been tested positive for the H5N1 virus on Tuesday. Three samples were taken in Changkat Legong, six samples of broiler chicken in the Titi Gantung Agriculture Department in Bota, and samples taken from dead wild birds (burung gembala kerbau) in Taman Lapangan Perdana in Ipoh. Changkat Legong is adjacent to Changkat Tualang, where the first cases occurred, following which more than 41,000 fowl had been culled. It is within a 5km radius from the index case in Changkat Tualang. Titi Gantung is located about 60 km from there. |
Muhyiddin told reporters at the Parliament lobby that following the detection of the recent bird flu cases, Malaysia joins the global concern that the disease may become a pandemic issue. "We are worried over the fast spread of the virus as it is happening one after another," he said. Muhyiddin said migratory birds were believed to be the cause of the spread of the disease. "Controlling the spread (of the disease) is the most challenging as it is difficult to control migratory birds."
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