KOTA KINABALU, Aug 6 — The Sabah Veterinary Services Department has culled about 10,000 chickens at a poultry farm in Tamparuli which tested positive for bird flu, said its deputy director (Health Division) Dr Peter Lee Ah Kong.

He said 18,000 chickens at another farm that had not been affected by the bird flu virus would be culled tomorrow.

"Although the disease has not been detected at the farm, the chickens there would be culled as it (farm) is located within the one-kilometre radius of the farm where the disease was detected,” he told Bernama.

He said the free-range chickens belonging to residents in areas detected with bird flu would also be culled tomorrow.

The culling of the free-range chickens would be done at night, he added.

Lee also said the department, with the cooperation of the police would continue to mount road blocks at the exit of the areas detected with bird flu to ensure no birds were brought out of the area.

Last August 3, the Sabah government instructed the Veterinary Services Department to declare Tuaran district as a bird flu outbreak area after a farm there tested positive for the disease. — Bernama