Government on alert over possible human avian flu<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
After the latest bird flu outbreak in South Sulawesi, the
\nMinistry of Health is intensifying surveillance in case of human
\ninfection by the pathogenic virus in the province, officials have
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Last week, the ministry was reported to have sent six
\nspecimens from poultry workers in South Sulawesi, with suspected
\nbird flu infection, for laboratory tests in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
Earlier, at least 77 more samples had been sent in March and
\nApril for similar tests in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
\"We sent some blood samples of farm workers from the regencies
\nof Sidenreng Rappang, Pinrang, Wajo, Maros and Soppeng,\" South
\nSulawesi health office head Muhadir confirmed on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi was hit by avian flu in March. Tests on
\nchickens found dead in the five regencies showed that the poultry
\nwas infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which allegedly
\nspread from West Java, where the first case was discovered last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Despite the bird flu outbreak, there were no confirmed cases
\nof human infection in Indonesia. According to WHO representative
\nGeorg Petersen, the H5N1 virus can infect humans.<\/p>\n
\"We are sending blood serum from workers with a high
\npossibility of having contact with infected animals as a zero
\nsurveillance procedure,\" the health ministry's director general
\nfor communicable diseases, Umar Fahmi Achmadi, told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He denied that the samples were sent for a laboratory test
\nbecause they suspected the workers had contracted human avian
\nflu.<\/p>\n
However, the ministry's handbook on avian flu states that
\nspecimens are taken for testing only from probable bird flu
\ncases, which it defines as suspected cases.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Health director for eradication of diseases
\ntransmitted by animals Hariadi Wibisono claimed that specimens
\ncould also be taken as a necessary precautionary procedure.<\/p>\n
\"We have sent 77 samples, plus the six others, and are still
\nwaiting for the results,\" he said, adding that it would take
\nbetween two and four weeks to obtain lab results from Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
The samples, he said, were taken from workers with the highest
\nrisk of getting infected. \"We consider those with high intensity
\nof contact with infected animals, long working hours and those
\nwho live near poultry farms as people with a high risk of
\ninfection.\"<\/p>\n
Hariadi said that his office had been intensifying bird flu
\nmonitoring in South Sulawesi after the outbreak in March, by
\nmonitoring clinical symptoms in local hospitals and health
\ncenters as well as conducting campaigns on safety procedures for
\npoultry workers, such as the use of masks and disinfectant sprays
\nafter entering livestock areas.<\/p>\n
Currently, the Veterinary Research Agency has only developed
\nvaccines for poultry, as the development of a vaccine for humans
\nis still difficult.<\/p>\n
Despite the difficulties and lack of research on the
\ndevelopment of avian flu vaccines that could be used on humans,
\nsafeguards can still be taken by minimizing direct contact with
\nanimals that could have been infected.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization said in its website that people
\nwho ate chicken should not worry about getting infected. If the
\nmeat is cooked properly, the avian flu virus will be killed as it
\ncannot survive at high temperatures. (003)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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