Materia Medica Malaysiana

Malaysia set to be declared free of bird flu

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will be declared free of the fatal avian flu as early as next week if there are no new cases detected in Kelantan, Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Hawari Hussein said.

He said although Malaysia had fulfilled international health requirements with no new cases detected within 21 days of the last case, local health authorities were doing tests “to be absolutely sure” that the state was free from new cases.

Under the World Organisation for Animal Health standards on the declaration of a zone or a state as free from bird flu, there should be no new cases within 21 days of the last case was detected or the last day of culling.

“The threat is still there, from neighbouring countries. The tests are part of our own initiative to be sure,” Dr Hawari said yesterday.

He said the authorities have completed ground tests and samples had been sent to the laboratories, adding that results should be out “in one or two weeks' time.”

“If the tests are positive, meaning that there are new cases, then we have to start from scratch again,” he said.

He said 24-hour checks were still being conducted at all exit routes in Kelantan to prevent poultry from being taken out of the state and the ban of poultry from neighbouring countries was still being enforced.

The dreaded “H5” bird flu virus strain, first traced at Kampung Baru Pasir Pekan in Tumpat on Aug 17, is believed to have originated from an infected fighter cock brought in from Thailand.

Federation of Livestock Farmers Association of Malaysia adviser Datuk Francis Lau said the industry was looking forward to the declaration and poultry breeders “were happy” with the control measures taken by the authorities.

“The authorities have been able to control the movement of poultry in the affected state and worked hard to allow the export of poultry to Singapore from farms in Johor and Malacca,” he said.

He added that the department should be lauded for their close co-operation with the Singapore Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.