July 12, 2004

Chicken Deaths Discovered In Malaysia

Following the deaths of 90 chickens in a school compound in Malaysia's northern Perak state, health officials quarantined 600 pupils after 25 of them came down with fever.

The Mingguan Malaysia, a Malay language daily, said health authorities had issued the quarantine order immediately due to fears over the spread of bird flu.

However, Hawari Hussein, director-general of the Veterinary Services Department, told AFP that the blood and other samples taken from the dead birds had proved negative for avian influenza.

Tan Chin Meng, chairman of the state health committee, said all students at the Technical Secondary school in Teluk Intan had been ordered to undergo a blood test at a public hospital.

The birds died on Friday, and 25 students suffered symptoms of fever and flu on Saturday.

There has not been an outbreak of bird flu in Malaysia despite outbreaks in neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.

China, Thailand and Vietnam have all reported new cases in recent days, sparking fears of a resurgence of the winter outbreak that left 24 people dead and devastated the region's poultry industry.