Dept confirms ‘ayam kampung’ deaths due to H5N1

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Veterinary Services Department has confirmed that 15 “ayam kampung” in Kampung Pulau Tebu, Tunjong, here, died this week of avian flu H5N1.

State Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Committee chairman Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said three cases were reported in that village and all were tested positive for H5N1 on Monday.

“The flu is limited to the village.

“The authorities, including the state Veterinary Services Department, have taken steps to prevent it from spreading.

“People should not panic, but cooperate with the authorities. “It is safe to consume chicken.” Abdullah said six veterinary laboratory staff who tested the carcasses of the dead chickens were quarantined at Tumpat Hospital on Monday to ensure they were free of the disease.

“They were quarantined for 24 hours and allowed to leave when it was confirmed that they were not infected.”

Abdullah said the department had started culling birds in the village and 170 birds had been put down.

He said the H5N1 cases this time were not on a mass scale like in 2004, where thousands of birds were culled.