Brunei Is Safe From Bird Flue But Agriculture Boss Urges Caution

Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei is free from bird flu.

And the Agriculture Department has urged consumers not to worry unduly and should remain calm over the news report on the current outbreaks of Bird flu in other countries.

The department reassured the public that chicken meat and eggs in the local supermarket are safe to consume.

The Director of Agriculture, Dr. Haji Mohamad Yussof bin Haji Mohiddin in an exclusive interview with the Radio Television Brunei (RTB) Consumer Unit said that the poultry industry in Brunei was very well organized.

The current outputs of over 15,000 metric tones of chicken meat and over 5,000 metric tones of eggs per year are sufficient to meet local demand.

Hence, the country is already self-sufficient in these commodities. Dr. Haji Mohamad further assured consumers that chicken meat and, eggs sold in the country are safe, as they are properly inspected and passed for consumption.

However, he said consumers should avoid buying chicken meat and eggs from dubious sources as such meat not inspected.

As a precautionary measure, the department has tightened animal quarantine at all the entry points and urged consumers to cooperate with the department and not to smuggle meat and eggs as such action could jeopardize the animal health status of the country.

The department reminded the public that bringing in animals including birds, chickens and eggs from abroad could risk introduction of dangerous infectious diseases and disease agents into the country. Importation without permission from the department could face prosecution.

Dr. Haji Mohamad stressed that the government is taking the threat of bird flu very seriously.

He said the department has deployed more officers to inspect the poultry farms across the country and instructed the farmers to improve farm sanitation in particularly protecting the $100 million chicken industry in Brunei.

Dr. Haji Mohamad said that they are now strengthening the local surveillance system by providing efficient laboratory services and continuously monitoring the health status of chickens in the country.

Bird flu, also known as chicken flu and avian influenza, is largely transmitted through bird droppings and contaminated particles in the air.

As chickens are grown very intensively nowadays, bird flu could easily spread in crowded condition especially if the sanitation is poor.

In fact, chicken farmers risk catching the disease by inhaling air particles contaminated with the virus.

Eating contaminated meat that are cooked does not cause the disease.

Humans have always been under threat of emerging new and more dangerous viruses. Bird flu virus, like any other viruses, is amazing and in a way, it is scary too.

In the past, avian viruses are known to cause eye irritation in people but bird flu virus is different. It is the first virulent avian virus capable of direct chicken to human transmission. Fortunately to date, the virus is unable to spread from one human to another, thus, limiting the spread of the disease.

For consumers who travel to those affected countries, the RTB Consumer Unit advices eat chicken only when it is well cooked and only eat cooked eggs and anyone developing fever, muscular aches and severe respiratory problems should report to the doctor. -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei 

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