Malaysia reports fresh cases of bird flu.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia reported two new cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu on Thursday in a wild bird and among dead chickens in the central state of Perak.
No human cases have so far been reported in Malaysia, which last month reported its first case of bird flu since November 2004, giving the H5N1 virus as the cause of death of 40 chickens in Selangor state.
On Thursday, a senior veterinary official, quoting a statement prepared by the agriculture ministry, told Reuters bird culling had begun within a 1-km (1,100 yard) radius around both spots where the cases were detected.
"All efforts are being taken to control the disease from spreading and we believe the action taken will control the disease," the official quoted Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as saying.
Neighbouring Singapore said it was immediately suspending imports of poultry from Perak, which supplies about 80 percent of the city state's duck consumption.
Bird flu has killed about 100 people worldwide since 2003, spreading from Asia to the Middle East and reaching Europe and Africa along bird migration routes.
Many scientists fear the virus could mutate into a form that easily passes among people, triggering a pandemic.
In Malaysia, the dead wild bird was found in a large aviary about 100 km (62 miles) from a village where nine chicken deaths were reported on March 11, the official told Reuters. Samples taken from the dead chickens tested positive for H5N1, he added.
Mustapa Abdul Jalil, acting chief of veterinary services, said the authorities had starting killing suspect birds within a one-km radius of the two sites, besides disinfecting the locations, and restricting the movement of poultry in the area.
Health officials had begun making checks on people living within 10 km (6 miles) of each site, the statement added.
Singapore's Agrifood and Veterinary Services Authority said in a statement it had imposed an immediate suspension on imports of poultry and poultry products from Perak.
"This suspension will continue until Malaysian officials inform us that things have returned to normal," a Singapore official told Reuters.
Poultry imports from the Malaysian states of Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan would not be affected, however.
Fifteen people in Malaysia tested negative for H5N1 in last month's outbreak.
Authorities killed more than 3,400 birds to contain the disease, and tightened border checks to keep out the virus after fears grew it might have been carried in by fighting ****erels illegally smuggled into Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia reported two new cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu on Thursday in a wild bird and among dead chickens in the central state of Perak.
No human cases have so far been reported in Malaysia, which last month reported its first case of bird flu since November 2004, giving the H5N1 virus as the cause of death of 40 chickens in Selangor state.
On Thursday, a senior veterinary official, quoting a statement prepared by the agriculture ministry, told Reuters bird culling had begun within a 1-km (1,100 yard) radius around both spots where the cases were detected.
"All efforts are being taken to control the disease from spreading and we believe the action taken will control the disease," the official quoted Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as saying.
Neighbouring Singapore said it was immediately suspending imports of poultry from Perak, which supplies about 80 percent of the city state's duck consumption.
Bird flu has killed about 100 people worldwide since 2003, spreading from Asia to the Middle East and reaching Europe and Africa along bird migration routes.
Many scientists fear the virus could mutate into a form that easily passes among people, triggering a pandemic.
In Malaysia, the dead wild bird was found in a large aviary about 100 km (62 miles) from a village where nine chicken deaths were reported on March 11, the official told Reuters. Samples taken from the dead chickens tested positive for H5N1, he added.
Mustapa Abdul Jalil, acting chief of veterinary services, said the authorities had starting killing suspect birds within a one-km radius of the two sites, besides disinfecting the locations, and restricting the movement of poultry in the area.
Health officials had begun making checks on people living within 10 km (6 miles) of each site, the statement added.
Singapore's Agrifood and Veterinary Services Authority said in a statement it had imposed an immediate suspension on imports of poultry and poultry products from Perak.
"This suspension will continue until Malaysian officials inform us that things have returned to normal," a Singapore official told Reuters.
Poultry imports from the Malaysian states of Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan would not be affected, however.
Fifteen people in Malaysia tested negative for H5N1 in last month's outbreak.
Authorities killed more than 3,400 birds to contain the disease, and tightened border checks to keep out the virus after fears grew it might have been carried in by fighting ****erels illegally smuggled into Malaysia.
