PUTRAJAYA, Feb 3 — Malaysia does not import live animals and products from Shaoyang in ​​Hunan, China, where an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu was reported, said Veterinary Services Department (VSD) director-general Datuk Dr Quaza Nizamuddin Hassan.

He said Malaysia imported chicken cuts from a chicken processing plant in Liaocheng, Shangdong, located about 1,313km from the scene of the outbreak.

According to media reports, China has an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 bird flu which occurred on a farm in Shaoyang city in Hunan, with 7,859 chickens, and of the total, 4,500 have died of the virus.

 "The Chinese authorities have taken action to control the disease following the reported H5N1 outbreak,” said Quaza Nizamuddin in a statement today.

The VSD will also regularly take samples of imported chicken cuts to be tested for H5N1 disease, he said.

"Thus far, none of the samples tested positive,” he said.

Precautionary measures will also be increased and samples will be taken from each consignment for testing, he said.

He added that the VSD to constantly monitor the situation and to contact the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to find out the current status. — Bernama