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Friday June 23, 2006

Malaysia declared free of bird flu

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has been declared free of the deadly bird flu effective last Wednesday, allowing for poultry to be exported again.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declares a country free of bird flu when no new case is reported three months after the last disinfections and culling operations at affected areas.

The culling and disinfection exercises in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, and Penang were completed on March 22 and the final report on Malaysia’s case was sent to the OIE on June 19.

Muhyiddin said the authorities would continue to be on the alert, to conduct surveillance and to take random samplings of poultry, as the region was still not out of danger from the deadly H5N1 virus.

“Poultry, birds, and eggs and other fresh products from countries where the virus had been detected will not be allowed into the country. They will be confiscated and destroyed at entry points,” he told reporters at his ministry here yesterday.

He said the H5N1 strain earlier detected in the country was suspected to be from China and Vietnam, brought through Thailand.

About RM230,000 had been paid to 703 farmers and villagers whose poultry was culled when the virus was detected in February.

Another RM250,000 in compensation would be paid to others affected.

Muhyiddin said 25,442 chickens, 32,029 ducks and 986 birds were culled and 8,437 eggs destroyed.

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