Monday, January 26, 2009

AVA steps up inspections on poultry slaughterhouses

Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, January 27

SINGAPORE : The Agri—Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has been stepping up inspection efforts at poultry slaughterhouses amid rising cases of bird flu in the region.

Officers have doubled their rounds to twice a week — taking samples to tests for the H5N1 virus.

In fact, as a precautionary measure, Channel NewsAsia’s news team was also not allowed into a duck slaughterhouse at Defu Lane.

AVA said that despite the comprehensive plans for a flu pandemic, it cannot be complacent.

Slaughterhouses here were affected by bird flu scares in Malaysia twice — in 2004 and 2006.

Lim—Low Meow Huay, senior executive, Corporate Communications, Agri—Food and Veterinary Authority, said: "Singapore is currently free from bird flu. However, we are surrounded by countries that have bird flu in their country. So we have to be constantly vigilant because the threat is real to us." — CNA/ms

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