Malaysia said today that pigeons found dead in the north of the country had tested negative for the bird flu virus that has left more than 60 people dead and devastated Southeast Asia's poultry industry.

"It is confirmed negative. It's not avian flu," director general of the veterinary services department Hawari Hussein told AFP.

"But we will have to remain on alert," he added, given Malaysia's proximity to Thailand, where 13 people have died of bird flu since late 2003.

At least 11 pigeons have been found dead in the northern state of Kedah bordering Thailand since last Thursday, sparking fears they may have been carrying the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus.

Last week another group of pigeons was found dead in the northwestern state of Perak but tests also ruled out the bird flu virus.

Antiviral drugs ordered

Ramlee Rahmat, director of the disease control division said the Health Ministry had ordered antiviral drugs to be administered to about 60,000 people at high risk of contracting bird flu, should a pandemic occur.

The first group to receive the drugs would be hospital staff, particularly those assigned to isolation wards, laboratory personnel involved in research on the disease and field workers handling birds, he said.

The government wanted enough antiviral drugs to meet the needs of about 10 per cent of the country's 25 million people in the event of a pandemic, he said.

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche is providing Malaysia with Tamiflu.