836 Chickens, Ducks, Birds Culled In Bird Flu-Hit Areas

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- A total of 724 chickens, 58 ducks, 54 birds and 455 eggs have been destroyed since Sunday night after 40 chickens around Jalan Genting Klang in Setapak died of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus.
Veterinary Services Department Acting Director-General Datuk Dr Mustapa Abdul Jalil said the culling operation was carried out within a 1km radius of Kampung Pasir Wardieburn.
It covered Taman Danau Kota, Pekan Danau Kota and the longhouses behind the Road Transport Department complex, he said.
Personnel from his department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the police were involved in the operation, he told reporters Wednesday.
Dr Mustapa said seven teams from the Selangor Veterinary Services Department were deployed Tuesday for surveillance and inspections in Gombak.
Besides visiting 38 premises rearing chickens and examining 824 fowls, 139 swab samples were also taken, he said.
He said the operation would be expanded in stages tomorrow to cover a 10km radius from Kampung Pasir Wardieburn up to Setapak in the north, Pudu in the south, Hulu Kelang in the east and Kepong in the west, he said.
The one-week large-scale surveillance would involve Veterinary Services Department staff nationwide, Universiti Putra Malaysia veterinary students and employees of various government agencies, he said.
All poultry farms in the country would be monitored closely though no bird flu virus had been detected there, he added.
The public can obtain information on bird flu by contacting 03-88702041 or 03-88702042 from 8am to 9pm daily.