The Sabah government has taken precautionary measures by enhancing the monitoring the breeding of chicken and ducks in border areas, especially in Tawau and Sandakan to prevent the spread of a new bird flu (H5N1) virus in the state.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said all related agencies including the Malaysian Royal Customs, the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had been asked to tighten the entry of livestock or livestock products in border checkpoints, airports or sea ports.
“So far, the ministry has not received any report of bird flu cases, but precautionary measures remain a priority to prevent the virus from spreading to the state,” he told a press conference here today.
Yahya, who is also Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry would continue to run sampling of carcasses of wild birds including in the forest, for identification and surveillance.