Across Asia: Malaysia

Country claims bird flu free

Malaysia declared itself free of bird flu yesterday, more than three months after an outbreak among poultry led authorities to slaughter over 4,000 chickens and ducks.

Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said surveillance and laboratory tests since June have fulfilled conditions set by the World Organization for Animal Health, or OIE, to declare the country free of the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus.