Kelantan raises disaster alert on avian flu

KOTA BARU: Kelantan has declared a state of disaster as the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 outbreak has spread to four districts within days.

State Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said the matter was now under the purview of the National Security Council (NSC).

“The state executive council has decided to declare a state of disaster as the virus has spread from Kampung Pulau Tebu in Kota Baru district to 23 villages in four districts,” he said.

Che Abdullah said the virus had spread to Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh and Bachok.

“So far, 23,768 avians including chickens, ducks and birds had been culled,” he said.

On March 6, the authorities confirmed that five chicken carcasses tested positive for H5N1.

On Monday, Abdullah told The Star that the virus had spread to Pasir Mas.

“Now two more districts have been affected.

“The situation has become very serious,” he said.

Che Abdullah said so far there was no indication that the virus had spread to humans.

“It is spreading too fast. We have to get the NSC involved to avert a national disaster,” he said.