March 17, 2006

Singapore suspends duck imports from Malaysia on bird flu

Singapore suspended duck imports from Malaysia on Thursday (March 16) after the northern state of Perak reported new outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in chickens and wild birds.

Singapore does not import chicken or eggs from Perak, but the state supplies about 86 percent of the city-state's total live ducks--amounting to about 20,000 ducks per day. The rest are imported from the Malaysian state of Johore.

Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said in a statement it was working to increase imports of frozen duck from the Netherlands and the US to minimise the impact.

Singaporeans consume about 14,800 tonnes of duck meat per year.

Malaysian officials said Thursday nine dead chickens were found in the Changkat Tualang village in Perak state on March 11, and tests showed they died of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain.

Birds in a wildlife eco-tourism sanctuary and resort in Perak were also found infected by H5N1, but none have died, they said.

No cases of bird flu have been reported in Singapore.