PUTRAJAYA: No new locations were identified as positive for bird flu (H5N1) in Kelantan on Monday, said the Veterinary Services Department.
“The situation is under control and confined to the areas which are affected, involving free-range chicken from small-time poultry livestock operators,” the department said in a statement yesterday.
According to the department, the outbreak is now under control within a 30km-radius of Kampung Pulau Tebu involving six districts, namely Kota Bharu, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Tumpat, Tanah Merah and Bachok.
According to the statement, as of Monday, a total of 34,520 reared fowls and 13,969 eggs have been destroyed in the state, in the effort to curb the H5N1 virus from spreading.
It said as of on Monday too, 3,262 samples had been taken from 552 premises for testing.
The department said 28 locations were found positive for the H5N1 virus in six districts, involving 43 premises, namely Kota Bharu (14 locations), Pasir Mas (six), Tumpat (three), Tanah Merah (one), Bachok (one) and Pasir Puteh (three).
Roadblocks in four strategic locations have also been set up to control the movement of fowls from Kelantan.
Other states are free of the virus but are in a state of high alert, while active monitoring and control of fowl movement is being carried out at entry points into the country from the north.
On March 15, the Kelantan state government declared the H5N1 outbreak a state disaster after several free-range chicken died from the disease in Kampung Pulau Tebu, Tunjong, Kota Bharu on March 6. — Bernama