Warning Of Action Against False Reports Of Bird Flu

KOTA KINABALU, March 1 (Bernama) -- Sabah Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail, Wednesday warned of firm government action against anyone making false reports of avian influenza.
No one should conclude, without proper tests, that any death of chickens, ducks or other birds was caused by the bird flu because this would raise panic among the people and undermine the poultry industry that contributed RM600 million annually to the state's economy, he said to reporters after opening a management meeting of the Sabah Information Department in Wisma Dang Bandang near here.
Last Saturday, the authorities in Putrajaya received reports from several people in Sabah that more than 150 chickens in Kuala Penyu had died.
"So far, my (veterinary) officers have yet to detect the poultry farm in question and we believe the reports were false," he said.
Abdul Rahim said there had been reports of the deaths of several chickens in Menggatal and Tambunan but laboratory tests showed that the birds did not die of avian influenza.
"The chickens in Sabah are safe for consumption," he said.
Abdul Rahim said Sabah had imposed a restriction on the entry of birds from outside the state and had stepped up checks conducted under joint operations by the customs, immigration, agriculture and health departments and the police.
Also, from Tuesday, veterinary officers in Sabah had begun inspections at breeding places of birds, including at "kongsi" shacks at building construction sites as a precautionary measure to prevent any outbreak of avian influenza in the state, he said.