City administration steps up measures to fight anthrax<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has required
\nvaccinations for all livestock coming into the city, after two
\npeople were reported to have died of anthrax in neighboring Bogor
\nregency.<\/p>\n
Head of the Jakarta Livestock Husbandry Agency Edy Setiarto
\nsaid on Monday that city officials would examine the physical
\ncondition and health documents of each animal, particularly at
\nslaughterhouses, as the Idul Adha Islamic Day of Sacrifice, which
\nfalls on March 5, nears.<\/p>\n
\"So far, we haven't found any infected livestock in the
\ncapital. However, if we do, we'll put them in quarantine and put
\nthem down,\" said Edy.<\/p>\n
Anthrax (bacillus anthraxcist) has infected 20 residents of
\nTajur Tapos hamlet in Hambalang subdistrict, Citeureup over the
\npast month, two of whom have died.<\/p>\n
The local residents have been suffering from bleeding ulcers,
\nwhich is identified as a specific symptom of anthrax, after
\nreportedly eating either goat meat or beef, Darminto, head of the
\nBogor Veterinary Research Office, said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Darminto said an investigation conducted on Jan. 29 found that
\nPandi and an unidentified boy, both of whom were neighbors, had
\ndied of the disease. The official added that five people have
\nbeen receiving medical treatment in Cibinong Hospital since Jan.
\n29.<\/p>\n
He suspected that the virus had been spreading since last
\nNovember, but stated that his office had only received a report
\non the matter on Jan. 29.<\/p>\n
He added that the inspection team had not found any anthrax
\nspores in the soil samples taken from animal graves in the
\ninfected area.<\/p>\n
\"It was too late for us to inspect the infected area as the
\nanthrax spores, the spreaders of the virus, had already been
\nwashed away by the rain which has been drenching the city
\nlately,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.<\/p>\n
He regretted the sluggish response of the Bogor Animal
\nHusbandry Agency in responding to the outbreak.<\/p>\n
\"The virus should not have infected the people if anti-anthrax
\nvaccines had been distributed to the thousands of livestock
\nrearers in the area from the beginning,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Darminto said the disease has been caused by anthrax spores in
\nthe soil.<\/p>\n
The virus normally requires 60 years to become locally
\nextinct.<\/p>\n
Darminto said many areas in Bogor were prone to anthrax,
\nincluding Cileungsi, Jonggol, Bojong Gede, Sukaraja and Cariu.<\/p>\n
He added that the virus, although deadly, could be cured by
\nantibiotics such as penicillin.<\/p>\n
Besides causing bleeding ulcers, the virus can directly attack
\nthe infected person's intestines after contaminated meat has been
\nconsumed, he said.<\/p>\n
\"In such a case, the infected person could die within only a
\nfew hours,\" he explained, adding that the virus could also spread
\nby air.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately, Musni, head of the animal health
\ndivision of the West Java Public Health Office, said that his
\noffice had vaccinated only 1,000 out of some 4,000 head of
\nlivestock in Hambalang village, including both cattle and goats.<\/p>\n
The regency administration has banned the transportation by
\nroad of livestock out of the Bogor area, especially from
\nHambalang village.<\/p>\n
Head of the Jakarta Livestock Husbandry Agency Edy called on
\nconsumers to beware of anthrax-infected livestock and to buy
\nanimals only from authorized traders.<\/p>\n
Edy explained that an infected beast commonly suffered from
\nconvulsions and a bleeding ulcer and would usually die within 10
\ndays. Dark bloodstains normally marked infected meat, he said.<\/p>\n
City residents consume at least 150 tons of meat every day.
\nAbout 35 tons are supplied by the city-owned meat distributor PD
\nDharma Jaya, while another 45 tons are imported from neighboring
\ncountries, such as Australia and New Zealand. The remaining 70
\ntons are supplied by livestock-rearing areas around Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Dharma Jaya president Prabowo Soenirman, about 70
\npercent of the meat is distributed to some 151 traditional
\nmarkets across the capital, while the rest is sold through
\nsupermarkets and hypermarkets.<\/p>\n
\"I guarantee that our meat has been examined for anthrax,
\nbecause we always require a beast to be checked before being
\nslaughtered,\" said Prabowo.<\/p>\n
Edy said his agency had prepared at least 45,000 goats and
\n3,000 cattle to meet the city's demand for meat on Idul Adha.
\n(04\/07\/21)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-administration-steps-up-measures-to-fight-anthrax-1447893297",
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