Malaysia free from bird flu

NST: PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has been declared free from bird flu after passing the requisite three-month period without any new outbreak since the last epidemic began in June.
Veterinary authorities have spent the last three months conducting surveillance on fowl in and around Kampung Paya Jaras Hilir in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, where there was an outbreak on June 5.
A total of 4,266 free-range chickens, ducks and other fowl were culled within five days from the outbreak, costing the government nearly RM40,000 in compensation to their owners.
Coops were destroyed and premises within the infected zone were disinfected.
Two rounds of surveillance were conducted up to a 10km radius from the infection zone, during which swab samples were taken from more birds.
Over the three months, 24,246 swab samples were taken from various fowl within the affected area and also nationwide to check if the H5N1 virus had spread. Test results for the virus have been negative.
"We are now free of avian influenza as we have successfully conducted the stamping-out policy to ensure there is no spread of the virus, and have followed all measures in accordance with guidelines by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)," Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday.
Also present at the press conference was Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin.
The ministry’s final report to the OIE was submitted on Sunday, in which it was confirmed to the world body that Malaysia was free of the virus.
Muhyiddin added that the OIE and the World Health Organisation had praised Malaysia for its handling of the bird flu outbreaks.
He hoped that with the declaration, countries which had stopped importing poultry from Malaysia would resume their imports.
Muhyiddin lamented that state governments were slow in gazetting state enactments on rearing of free-range chickens.
The ministry had given each state a draft legislation on this matter for their adoption, but to date none had enforced the rules, which carry penalties for rearing chickens in urban areas and for allowing chickens to roam free.
"Perhaps the states do not see this as important but we can’t afford to have a lackadaisical attitude," he said.
Malaysia has successfully fought three avian flu outbreaks since 2004, spending RM10 million in compensation for culled birds.
Muhyiddin also said that Malaysia must continue to be vigilant as avian flu was still prevalent in several neighbouring countries.
All Asean countries, with the exception of Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, and now Malaysia, still had bird flu.
Poorer Asean members lacked the resources to conduct comprehensive stamping-out programmes which involved culling of fowl, compensation for breeders and owners, and surveillance checks.