MASS CULL TO CONTAIN FLU

[Talon]

MASS CULL TO CONTAIN FLU

Malaysia has been hit by a strain of the deadly bird flu which killed 27 people in Asia this year.

Hundreds of birds have been culled as authorities act to contain the outbreak.

Two chickens which died in a northern village near the border with Thailand were found to be infected with the strain.

"The results show they were H5N1, which is pathogenic, which is the dangerous one," Abi Musa Asa'ari Nor, secretary general of the Agriculture Ministry, said.

But the government has reversed an earlier decision to ban poultry exports.

All areas within a six-mile radius of the village, in the state of Kelantan, have been quarantined.

No human cases have yet been reported and a nationwide alert has been put out by authorities.

Mr Nor said: "We are confident the outbreak can be confined to the village, we are culling all the animals there.

"It's not easy because we have to catch the chickens first, the chickens there are roaming."

The bird flu strain was the cause of human deaths in Thailand and other south-east Asian countries earlier this year.

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[AztecInca]

Is it that there has been an increase in bird related illnesses that can spread to humans like that flu strain or is it just that there is now more media coverage because of all the human deaths!!! I had no idea about all tehse disease that birds can gice to huamns and now all of sudden they are appearing everywhere! Peopel need to be better informed on what animals can spread to humans! Its not their fault though, and I hat how they have to cull them but I suppose they do have to do it to spot the disease from sprading to otheer animals and people!!!

[Talon]

It's probably because more and more birds are being kept together in confined areas than ever before, spreading disease quicker and making contact with a mutant strain which can effect humans more likely.