Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) announced Thursday in a statement that it is suspending duck imports from Malaysia's Perak with immediate effect.

AVA said that Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services has informed it about the confirmation of an H5N1 bird flu outbreak in the State of Perak.

Poultry imports from the disease free zones of Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan in Malaysia will not be affected, AVA added.

As Singapore imports only duck from Perak, which accounts for about 80 percent of the city state's total duck consumption, there will be a temporary shortfall of ducks here, according to AVA. The AVA is trying to increase imports of frozen duck from the Netherlands and the United States to minimize the impact, said the statement.

The AVA reiterated that poultry and poultry products in Singapore are safe for consumption, but adding that that it will strengthen surveillance and inspections at the points of entry to keep the city state free from bird flu.

No bird flu virus has been detected in Singapore so far.

Singapore has suspended poultry and egg imports from Malaysia's Selangor State since February 20 this year following the detection of H5N1 virus in kampong chickens in a village there.

Source: Xinhua