TUARAN: None of the workers at a chicken farm here are showing any signs of being affected by the bird flu virus, Sabah Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Junz Wong said today.
On Tuesday, the chicken farm was found positive for avian influenza (bird flu) and the district was declared as a bird flu epidemic area.
“Health personnel had gone to the farm, where the bird flu virus was first detected, to conduct checks on the workers.
“For now, there are no signs and symptoms of them affected by the disease.
"However, the team will continue to check including the village within a kilometre radius of the farm,” he said, adding that 471 villagers within the vicinity are still being monitored for possible infection.
Junz was speaking to reporters during a visit to a newly established district operation centre established to monitor the bird flu incidence.
He added that culling operations, involving two farms with 10,000 and 18,000 birds respectively, have started today and will continue tomorrow.
“Compensation (to farm owners) will come later. What is important is to contain the disease.
“We are still trying to find out and determine how the virus got into the state,” he said, adding the ministry is hoping to declare the district free from the virus within two months.
Meanwhile, a check by NSTP at the district also showed that the department had been conducting inspections on vehicles coming out of the affected area at Kampung Kauluan Kiulu near here.