Malaysia reports highly contagious H5N1 bird flu; virus different from H7N9

Malaysian agriculture ministry says all the 26 birds detected with the virus were killed or destroyed.

Malaysia reports highly contagious H5N1 bird flu
Chickens are seen in a contaminate farm while workers from the Animal Protection Ministry prepare to cull them to contain an outbreak of bird flu, at a farm in the village. Reuters

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) cited a Malaysian agriculture ministry report on Wednesday and said that the country has reported an outbreak of a highly contagious H5N1 bird flu virus in the northern part of the nation.

According to the report posted by the Paris-based OIE, the strain was confirmed among chickens at a backyard farm in Kelantan. The ministry said all the 26 birds were killed or destroyed.

In recent weeks, the H5N1 strain has been detected in Cambodia. This particular strain is different to the H7N9 virus that has caused the death of more than 110 people in China.

**This story is developing**

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