PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia does not import live animals and products from the Shaoyang county in Hunan province, China, where an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu has been reported, said Department of Veterinary Services director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan.
He said Malaysia imports chicken cuttings from a chicken processing plant in Liaocheng, Shangdong, located about 1,313 km from the outbreak area.
According to Dr Quaza Nizamuddin, the Veterinary Services Department also regularly checks samples of imported chicken cuttings for testing for H5N1 disease.
"So far, no sample has tested positive," he saud.
Dr Quaza Nizamuddin said precautionary measures would also be beefed up and samples would be taken from each consignment for testing.
He said the department would constantly monitor the situation and contact the World Animal Health Organisation to find out about the current status from time to time.
According to media reports, China has reported an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu at a livestock farm in Shaoyang, where about 4,500 of the 7,859 chickens had died from the virus.
Dr Quaza Nizamuddin said the Chinese authorities had since taken measures to contain the disease following the H5N1 outbreak. - Bernama