March 21, 2006

Malaysia detects new bird flu outbreak

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu has spread to northern Malaysia, authorities said Monday (Mar 20) after several dead chickens were found infected in a poultry rearing village.

Officials will slaughter more than 200 birds in Permatang Bagak village in Penang state following tests that confirmed at least six chickens died there of H5N1 last week, said Mustapa Abdul Jalil, acting director general of Veterinary Services Department.

It was the first bird flu outbreak in Penang following two cases reported last week in neighbouring Perak state, where the virus was detected among chickens in a village and birds in a wildlife ecotourism park. The first outbreak this year occurred in four villages outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital city.