Malaysia Says Clear of Human Bird Flu Cases

A Malaysian veterinarian and her three children have received a clean bill of health after tests for bird flu, leaving no suspected human cases of the deadly virus after an outbreak among poultry, the government said on Monday.

A Malaysian veterinarian and her three children have received a clean bill of health after tests for bird flu, leaving no suspected human cases of the deadly virus after an outbreak among poultry, the government said on Monday.The World Health Organization, warning that the virus that has killed 27 people in Asia this year will take years to conquer in the region, has called for more cooperation between agencies and governments.Malaysia hopes the slaughter of more than 350 birds in a small village near the Thai border will allow it to declare itself free of bird flu after a three-week quarantine.Seven people taken to hospital for checks after Malaysia found two chickens infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus had now been cleared, officials said.”I must emphasize that until now only chickens have been found with avian flu. No humans are infected,” Health Minister Chua Soi Lek told reporters in Penang.A teenage girl and her mother from the village at the center of the outbreak, along with a veterinary worker called to the scene, were discharged from hospital on Sunday.The veterinarian and her three young children, from another part of the same northern state of Kelantan, had also been given a clean bill of health, Chua said.The WHO fears bird flu has become endemic and more outbreaks are possible as migratory birds head south before the northern winter.China said it had tested more than 11 million pigs and found no evidence any were carrying the deadly strain of bird flu. Pigs had been found last year to be infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, a Chinese scientist said last week.Scientists fear human and bird flu viruses could mix in pigs and form a strain more easily transmittable to humans.Vietnam has reported 19 deaths from bird flu while there have been eight deaths in Thailand, from where Malaysian officials fear it may have crossed the border in the droppings of birds.A LONG BATTLEWHO regional director for the Western Pacific, Shigeru Omi, said more coordination was needed in what was expected to be a long fight against the disease over several years.”This battle against avian flu will be a long battle. We cannot finish it this year,” Omi told reporters.”In spite of efforts made by the government of Malaysia and elsewhere we have to assume that this kind of thing will pop up again anywhere, not only in Malaysia but in other parts of this region.””Out of Stock” signs adorned empty egg shelves at some supermarkets in Singapore, which has banned Malaysian poultry until the outbreak is over.Singapore is Malaysia’s main export destination for poultry, and farmers say the loss of a market that had taken 2 million eggs and 120,000 live chickens a day will cost them up to $790,000 a day.Egg prices have risen 30 U.S. cents per pack of 10 in some supermarkets where they are still available. One major chain is rationing shoppers to two packets, and only if they do other shopping there.Frozen chicken prices have risen, hitting hawkers who usually charge less than US$2 for a plate of Chinese chicken rice.At some produce markets, poultry stalls closed early with chicken so scarce and business so bad some stall holders worried about paying their bills.”We close early since there is really not much to sell,” said Ong Keng Wee, a stallholder. “If the situation continues, we may have to take a break and see how it goes but paying the rent will be a problem.” (Source: Reuters, August 2004)