District sealed after Anthrax outbreak<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is closely monitoring several provinces prone to
\nAnthrax and will provide free medication for those that contract
\nthe disease.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari said after a meeting
\nwith President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday that the
\ngovernment was focusing on West Java, East Java and East Nusa
\nTenggara as the provinces where the contagious disease was
\nlikely.<\/p>\n
\"We are still looking for which parts of these provinces that
\nmay have suffered from the outbreak the most,\" Siti said.<\/p>\n
The minister said the provinces were considered prone to the
\ndisease due to the large number of livestock breeders.<\/p>\n
\"With the close observation. we hope to develop an early
\nwarning system before more outbreaks happen,\" Siti said.<\/p>\n
Anthrax disease has affected the country almost every year,
\nbut has never become a full-blown epidemic.<\/p>\n
The latest outbreak was detected on Oct. 16, when 20 people
\nwere admitted to the hospital at the Babakan Madang village in
\nBogor, West Java, after eating or handling infected goat meat.<\/p>\n
Some 65 people soon displayed early symptoms of Anthrax such
\nas headaches, stomach aches and nausea. Only 20 of them tested
\npositive for Anthrax, and at least six died.<\/p>\n
\"The government has allocated funds to provide free medication
\nfor the patients and we urge people demonstrating early symptoms
\nto immediately go to the hospital as they will be treated for
\nfree,\" Siti said.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said the President
\nalso asked the Ministry of Agriculture to handle the issue
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
\"The President asked for immediate actions to isolate the
\nspread of the disease,\" Andi said in the press conference.<\/p>\n
In Bogor, a suspected Anthrax patient from Babakan Madang
\nvillage was moved to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta due
\nto continuous nose bleeding.<\/p>\n
Cibinong General Hospital director Julianti Julia said the
\nhealth of nine-year-old Erna Aryanti had worsened since her
\narrival at the hospital on Monday.<\/p>\n
Julianti said her patient's crucial blood cell counts were
\ndeclining, prompting the hospital to transfer Erna to the
\ncountry's biggest state hospital.<\/p>\n
Cibinong hospital also received a woman with Anthrax symptoms
\non Sunday. The patient, identified as Siti Maryam, remains in the
\nobservation unit as she still complains about restlessness.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/district-sealed-after-anthrax-outbreak-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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