SINGAPORE: The current outbreak of bird flu in Kelantan does not have any impact on Singapore’s poultry and egg supply as Singapore does not allow the products to be imported from Kelantan, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on Thursday (Mar 9).
Poultry and poultry products in Singapore are safe for consumption, said AVA in a media release.
It added that Kelantan is not an approved source for poultry and eggs, and that Singapore allows the import of poultry and eggs only from the disease-free zones in Malaysia – Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor and Perak.
AVA added that it will continue to work closely with Malaysia’s Department of Veterinary Services to ensure that the poultry and eggs imported do not compromise public or animal health.
The authority added that Singapore has stepped up its existing measures against bird flu in response to the Kelantan outbreak.
Surveillance and inspections at the points of entry have been increased, and local poultry farms have been asked to beef up their biosecurity measures. These include disallowing non-essential visits to the farms, as well as ensuring that their “bird-proofing” measures are intact, AVA said.
An AVA officer inspecting imported live poultry arriving at Tuas checkpoint. (Photo: Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore)
It added that while Singapore is free from bird flu, AVA will continue to monitor the situation and work with stakeholders to prevent the virus from spreading to Singapore.
Earlier on Thursday, Malaysia reported that the outbreak in Kelantan has been contained and that the virus had not spread to humans.
KEEPING BIRD FLU OUT OF SINGAPORE
Singapore imports about 35 per cent of its chicken and 93 per cent of its ducks from Malaysia, said AVA, adding that 76 per cent of its eggs come from Malaysia and local farms account for the remaining 24 per cent of its egg supply.
AVA noted that while Singapore is free from bird flu, it is endemic in the region.
Existing measures against the virus include source accreditation, import control, routine inspection and surveillance at points of entry, local farms, poultry slaughterhouses and pet shops, AVA said.
(Photo: Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore)
There are also regular checks on migratory birds as well as common ones such as crows, mynas and pigeons, and free-roaming chickens are also monitored.
