September 7, 2004
Malaysia Kills Scores Of Birds After Second Flu Outbreak
Malaysia slaughtered hundreds of chickens and other birds on Tuesday to contain the country's second outbreak of the deadly bird flu in three weeks.
The discovery came as Malaysia is hoping to negotiate a deal with neighboring Singapore to allow imports of Malaysian chicken and eggs from non-affected farms. Singapore is its biggest poultry export market.
Veterinary authorities said that the second outbreak was discovered at Kampung Belian, a hamlet lying within a 10-kilometer quarantine imposed around the village where bird flu was discovered Aug. 17.
A new 10-kilometer quarantine is being imposed for 21 days around the site of the latest outbreak, said Hawari Hussein, director-general of the veterinary service.
"We're taking all the same measures. We're killing 1,200 birds," Hawari said. The slaughter is expected to be completed Tuesday night.
The area is near the northern border with Thailand, and the disease is believed to have been spread by fighting cocks smuggled across the border.
The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed at least 27 people in Vietnam and Thailand this year, and about 100 million chickens have died of the disease or been culled to stop it spreading.
No human infection has been reported in Malaysia.
The discovery of the second outbreak dashed Malaysia's plans to declare the country free of bird flu once the initial 21-day quarantine on the affected area was lifted.
Malaysian poultry farmers have suffered massive losses because of import bans imposed by the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore.
Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told the national news agency Bernama that Malaysia would seek an arrangement with Singapore to clear poultry and eggs from infection-free farms for export.
"If necessary, I will contact the higher authorities in Singapore because they know it is an isolated case. And the latest case is within the area which we have quarantined," Muhyiddin said.
