#12,317
Malaysia's first outbreak of H5N1 in nearly a decade continues to heat up with reports today of two more districts in Kelantan (Bachok & Pasir Puteh) reporting outbreaks, and the decision of the Kelantan state government to declare a bird flu `disaster'.
Two media reports. First a translated report from Mstar followed by an English language report from News Channel Asia.
I'll have a bit more when you return.
Avian Flu Kelantan Declares Disaster For State - Exco
Published: Wednesday, 15 Mac 2017 5:02 PM
KOTA BARU: The Kelantan state government declared the outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) as a state of disaster.
This is due to the epidemic is spreading in two districts, namely Bachok and Pasir Puteh, after Kota Bharu and Pasir Mas, said the state executive council members.
Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Biotechnology and Green Technology Minister Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said the decision was made at the state executive council meeting today in accordance with Order 20 of the National Security Council (MKN 20).
"Following the decision, all the relevant agencies will be mobilized to take various preventive measures to avoid the outbreak of bird flu or H5N1 continues to spread," he told reporters after the meeting at Kompleks Kota Darul Naim here.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's northeastern state of Kelantan on Wednesday (Mar 15) declared a disaster to fight the outbreak of H5N1 avian flu after the virus spread to two more districts - Pasir Putih and Bachok.
- Posted 15 Mar 2017 16:48
- Updated 15 Mar 2017 17:29
The highly pathogenic bird flu virus was first detected on Mar 6 after a few free-range chickens died outside the state capital Kota Bharu.
Eighteen villages in Kota Bharu have been affected and almost 25,000 birds - mainly chickens, ducks and geese - have been culled since the infection was reported.
The Kelantan Agriculture and Veterinary Services Department declared the outbreak a state disaster and ordered all agencies and departments to control the outbreak.
The Kelantan state Veterinary Department's website has not been updated to reflect these new outbreaks (it is early evening as I write this in Malaysia), but a post (dated March 14th) discusses the possibility that cockfighting - which was linked to outbreaks across Southeast Asia in the middle of the last decade - may have aided and abetted the arrival of the virus.
The development of bird flu (H5N1) in Kelantan
Tuesday, 14 Mac 2017 @ 12:30 PM
Kota Bharu: Malaysia Veterinary Services Department (VSD) does not rule out possible causes of the bird flu outbreak in Kelantan due to the game of chicken at the border.
However, its director-general, Datuk Dr Kamarudin Md Isa said police were still investigating the matter and make a match with the case of poultry diseases Asean countries.
"Efforts to identify the cause is difficult, but it certainly comes from outside Malaysia and we are executing further details.
"This case we see almost the same as the case of 2004 (also in Kelantan) that causes chicken infected with H5N1 associated with the game of chicken at border activities.
"I hope the illegal activity be stopped immediately in order to menngekang epidemic," he said at a press conference at the Office of VSD Kelantan here today.
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