SOME 30,450 fowls have been culled as operations to contain the spread of bird flu in Tuaran, Sabah, enters its sixth day.

The state Veterinary Department destroyed 29,990 chickens and 3,500 eggs at two poultry farms in Kg Kauluan, Tamparuli, after four days of operations there.

The virus was first detected at a farm in Kg Kauluan on August 3. Tamparuli town is five minutes from Tuaran, and 40 minutes from Kota Kinabalu.

Operations are now focused on fowls kept by residents in nearby villages.

“Yesterday, our team went to Kg Dangsangai and Kg Tambulaung. The operations there involved 21 houses.

“A total of 418 chickens, 15 ducks, five geese and 22 other birds have been destroyed. The team finished up at 3am today,” said state Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Junz Wong.

There has been no new cases of bird flu, and no human infection has been reported.

The state Veterinary Department believes that the virus was brought into Sabah by wild migratory birds.

The Health Department has identified the virus as the H4N1 variant, which can be passed on from fowl to human. – August 9, 2018.