KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 25 Kyodo

Malaysia's veterinary department said Saturday that several dead birds found on an island on Borneo did not die of bird flu, dispelling fears that the deadly virus has spread beyond northeastern Kelantan state.

''We sent samples of the dead birds and both tested negative,'' official news agency Bernama quoted Awang Sahak Salleh, director of the Sabah state veterinary services and animal industry department, as saying.

The bird-flu scare came about when five naval personnel fell ill with flu-like symptoms after coming into contact with the remains of the dead swallows while patrolling at Layang-Layang island off Sabah.

Bernama said that as a precaution, 40 other sailors stationed there were quarantined on the ship before being transferred to a government hospital for a checkup.

Awang said two dead birds were sent to the Veterinary Research Institute in Perak state two days ago to be analyzed and the results came out Saturday showing their deaths were not due to bird flu.

Meanwhile, Bernama also quoted Sabah public health deputy director Mohamad Yusof Ibrahim as saying that none of the sailors showed any symptoms of bird-flu infection.

However, their blood samples have been sent to be tested and results are expected soon.

Mohamad Yusof said his officers were prepared to go to Layang-Layang island but had cancelled the trip as ''the situation there is not worrying.''

The state veterinary department however would fly there to collect more samples of dead migratory birds.

Layang-Layang island, or Swallows Island, is populated by hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, mainly various species of swallows and swifts.

Malaysia reported its first bird-flu outbreak in mid-August following the discovery of two dead fighting cockerels in Kelantan state.

Authorities have quarantined the entire state, setting up 24-hour road blocks and border patrols. Some 8,000 chickens, ducks and pet birds have been culled.

So far there is no human infection reported. The deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu has killed at least 29 people in Thailand and Vietnam.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo News International, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group