Cirebon moves against bird flu<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon<\/p>\n
As part of the effort to prevent the spread of bird flu in
\nCirebon, the local government has been taking precautionary
\nmeasures to fight the lethal virus, including spraying chicken
\nhouses and coops with disinfectant.<\/p>\n
The measures, on top of an aggressive media campaign, have
\nbeen underway for the past few days ago in several areas
\nconsidered susceptible to bird flu, including the bird markets.<\/p>\n
On Friday, a team of government officials sprayed chicken
\nhouses and coops with disinfectant and vaccinated fowl suspected
\nof having been infected with the bird flu virus in Weru bird
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
Cirebon Animal Husbandry Office chief Abdurrochim Glenarto
\nsaid that similar measures had been and would continue to be
\nemployed in other bird markets in the area.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Cirebon Regent Dedi Supardi said that the Cirebon
\ngovernment had earmarked Rp 2 billion (US$200,000) to prevent the
\nspread of bird flu, which has claimed four lives in Indonesia
\nsince July. All of the victims were Jakartans. However, fears are
\nrunning deep in the regions as the virus is readily passed by
\nbirds and has been reported as far away as East Java and South
\nSulawesi provinces.<\/p>\n
"Although no Cirebon people have been infected by the lethal
\nvirus, we have to prepare for the worst," he said.<\/p>\n
In order to prevent bird flu from spreading, Dedi has
\ninstructed the local animal husbandry office to monitor closely
\nthe transportation of animal and birds in and out of Cirebon
\nregency. He said that the major roads leading into Cirebon were
\nbeing monitored closely in order to prevent sick chickens or
\nother fowl entering the regency. Some 20 local government
\nofficers, including a number of veterinarians, were being
\ndeployed in 24-hour shifts at the Losari Animal Checkpoint in
\norder to identify sick birds. "All fowl are being sprayed with
\ndisinfectant, while those suspected of being infected with bird
\nflu are destroyed," said government official Didi Samsul Hadi.<\/p>\n
Djumino, another government official, said that the government
\nteam checked between 20 and 40 trucks everyday, with each truck
\ncarrying 1,000 chickens on average.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cirebon-moves-against-bird-flu-1447893297",
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