THE number of fowls culled in Tuaran, Sabah rose 30,105 as the state Veterinary Department today confirmed the third case of bird flu in the area under surveillance.  

State Agriculture and Food-Based Industries Minister Junz Wong said the latest case was detected two days ago near Kampung Telibong, near Tamparuli, within five kilometres of the poultry farm in Kampung Kauluan where the avian influenza virus was first detected on August 3.  

The second case was discovered three days ago in Kampung Loputung, also within the five kilometre surveillance range of the Kampung Kauluan poutry farm.

Both cases were of chickens reared by villagers, said Wong, further adding that no human infection had been detected so far.  

“All of the cases detected are within the surveillance area and we have widened the area of operations since.

“Rest assured the situation remains under control,” he told reporters at the state assembly sitting today.

Despite the mass culling of birds in Tuaran, Wong said there would be sufficient supply of chickens for Hari Raya Haji on August 22.

He said the state would import more chickens if there was a shortage during the festivities.

He said Sabah had stopped exporting chickens to Brunei, the Maldives, Hong Kong and Singapore.

“They immediately stopped buying chickens from us when the outbreak was declared on August 3,” he said. – August 13, 2018.