Home
News
Malaysia's new plan on sampling
Malaysia
plans to launch a new programme to collect samples from free-range chickens,
especially in villages known to be frequently visited by migratory birds in
Sabah this year.
Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry (Dovsai)
director, Datuk Haji Awang Sahak Salleh, said this would be an expansion to the
intensified active and passive surveillance activities for the H5N1
avian influenza in the State.
"Free-range chickens are let to roam freely in the village so we have
planned this new programme to prevent any chance of the H5N1 virus spreading
into Sabah through any infected migratory bird which may get in
contact with any of the free-range chicken," he said.
This year the
department will be collecting more samples to assist in keeping Sabah
free from H5N1 avian influenza.
The department has also set up a flock sentinel at the Kota
Kinabalu bird sanctuary here to enable it to collect samples from migratory
birds, besides conducting a state-wide roadshow programme to instil awareness
among rural folk and tightening border detection for smuggled bird
species.
Awang Sahak said
the department has also increased its active and passive surveillance activities
in Tawau, which borders Kalimantan (Nunukan and Tarakan), in the wake of the
recurrence of the H5N1 avian influenza in Indonesia. This
is following the recurrence of H5N1 avian influenza in the republic.
"This includes monitoring and preventing smuggling of any livestock
from Indonesia into Sabah É there were many smuggled bird species including
chicken, ducks and so on, from the other side of the border, which we
confiscated and destroyed after obtaining court orders," Sahak said, assuring
that Sabah is still free from the H5N1 virus.
Related
article:
Bird flu costs Malaysian poultry industry
millions
For the latest
poultry news, subscribe here.
Editor WorldPoultry
To comment, login here
Or register to be able to comment.