Malaysian duck infected with low-risk bird flu detected in S'pore

Malaysian duck infected with low-risk bird flu detected in S'pore

Agence France-Presse, Singapore

A duck imported into Singapore from Malaysia has been detected with bird flu although it is a low-risk strain and will not lead to a local outbreak of the deadly disease, authorities here said.

Singapore has suspended duck imports from the farm in Perak state that the infected bird came from as a precautionary measure, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Authorities in Malaysia have also placed the farm under quarantine.

However the AVA said all the other ducks imported with the infected bird last week had not shown any signs of the disease.

Tests done by Malaysian authorities at the Perak farm had also cleared the ducks there, the statement said.

"The AVA would like to assure the public that the detection of a suspect "H5" subtype infection in the consignment is not of public health significance," it said.

"The consignment was imported on July 28, 2004 and the ducks were healthy and did not show any signs of disease."

The AVA said there were many subtypes of the bird flu that were commonly found in healthy waterfowl, such as ducks.

"These viruses will not cause any disease in these carrier birds," it said.

The AVA said it had found ducks imported from Malaysia into Singapore in 1997 and 1998 with the same "H5" subtype of the virus but no action was taken then as they did not pose a public health risk.

It decided to take action this time because of regional concerns over the bird flu epidemic that has hit large parts of Asia this year, killing 24 people and leading to the deaths or culling of almost 200 million birds.

"Singapore continues to be free from bird flu... The AVA wishes to assure that poultry and poultry products sold locally are safe for consumption," the AVA said.