Bird flu scare met with mixed reactions<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
From paranoia to indifference, Jakartans have displayed a whole
\nrange of attitudes toward the latest reports of bird flu.<\/p>\n
As a group, mothers are among the most jittery over this
\nlatest health scare. Some mothers have told their children to
\nstay clear of vendors with chickens on their carts.<\/p>\n
Some Jakartans have released or sold their pet birds and
\nchickens, fearful of keeping birds in their yards.<\/p>\n
"I have bought 10 birds and chickens since Monday. It is
\nunusual for so many individuals to sell their pets here," said
\nAnto Hermansyah, who owns a kiosk at the Barito bird market in
\nKebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"This one came in this morning. The owner was a westerner," he
\nsaid on Tuesday, pointing to two lovebirds in a cage.<\/p>\n
The president director of city market operator PD Pasar Jaya,
\nPrabowo Soenirman, said traders at the bird market on Jl. Pramuka
\nin Central Jakarta had seen their business take a severe hit
\nsince the first reports of bird flu emerged last year.<\/p>\n
"When reports of bird flu appeared last year, the number of
\nvisitors to the Pramuka bird market declined by about 50 percent.
\nThese new reports have caused a further decline of about 30
\npercent. The market is very quiet now," he said.<\/p>\n
Many residents living near Ragunan Zoo have begun taking
\npreventive measures to protect against bird flu, including taking
\nvitamin C tablets, which is unlikely to have an effect on the
\ndisease.<\/p>\n
"This morning alone we sold 12 packs of vitamins, which is
\ntriple our daily sales," said an employee at the Citra Graha
\nMedika drugstore located 200 meters from the zoo.<\/p>\n
City officials closed down the zoo for 21 days beginning on
\nMonday after 19 birds tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the
\nbird flu virus.<\/p>\n
Officials plan to test birds at other zoos in the country for
\nthe virus.<\/p>\n
World Health Organization director general Lee Jong Wook urged
\nnations to prepare for a bird flu endemic, saying that they
\nshould not be caught unaware by an obvious threat.<\/p>\n
However, not all people living near areas where the H5N1 virus
\nhas been identified are taking such dramatic measures.<\/p>\n
"Disease comes from God; if we do not harm our surroundings,
\nthere will be no problem," said Rudi Hartono, a 29-year-old food
\nvendor in front of Ragunan Zoo.<\/p>\n
Several people suspected of having bird flu are under
\nobservation at Suliyanti Saroso Hospital in Sunter, North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The latest patient to be admitted to the hospital was a five-
\nyear-old child, who was transferred to the hospital on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Farming Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry
\nof Agriculture's Directorate General of Farming, plans to take
\nadditional samples from birds and poultry at markets throughout
\nthe capital.<\/p>\n
Prabowo said he had asked the Jakarta Agriculture, Livestock,
\nand Maritime Agency to disinfect all markets operated by PD Pasar
\nJaya.<\/p>\n
"About 80 percent of PD Pasar Jaya's 151 markets have poultry
\ntrading areas," he said. (003)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bird-flu-scare-met-with-mixed-reactions-1447893297",
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