Malaysia: H5N1 Epidemic In Kelantan Only Confined To Small Breeders Of Fowls

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Bernama) -- The bird flu (H5N1) epidemic in Kelantan (a state in the northeast of Peninsular Malaysia) is only confined to fowls or chicken bred on a small scale and does not spread to those bred by larger operators. Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said this showed that the situation was still under control and animal husbandary could be carried out as normal. "If the epidemic spreads to the bigger operators, then it will give a more negative impact on the economy and raise the number of existing H5N1 cases," he told reporters before the question-and-answer session (MQT) at the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysian Parliament) sitting Thursday. As such, he said, the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Kelantan Veterinary Services Department (JPVK) as well as the District Health Office would ensure that the H5N1 epidemic did not spread to the whole industry. Meanwhile during the MQT, Dr Subramaniam said that six districts namely Kota Bharu (14 locations), Pasir Mas (six), Tumpat (three), Pasir Puteh (three), Tanah Merah (one) and Bachok (one) were affected by the epidemic. He said that in the six districts concerned, the JPVK disposed off 35,999 fowls and 14,330 eggs in the operation to eliminate the H5N1 epidemic in Kelantan. Meanwhile, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Kelantan would be declared as being free from the bird flu (H5N1) epidemic soon as there were no new cases found. "So far, there are no new cases detected. If this situation continues, we will soon declare that the situation has returned to normal," he said at a media conference in Parliament. However, the government would not take the easy way out following the positive development, instead, it would continue to make close monitoring especially in areas within a radius of 10 kilometres of the location where the epidemic occurred. In order to regain the confidence of foreigners, his ministry implemented various proactive measures including giving briefings on the current situation regarding the epidemic to the foreign governments. "Last Monday, we sent the secretary-general of the ministry, Ismail Bakar and deputy director-general of veterinary services Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan Nizam to China to give briefings on the epidemic which was now under control. -- BERNAMA