Govt to examine backyard chickens<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesian authorities will intensify surveillance of
\ndomesticated and wild birds to determine their suspected role in
\ntransmitting the H5N1 avian influenza virus, Minister of
\nAgriculture Anton Apriyantono said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The government has vowed to step up efforts to tackle the
\nspread of the disease, examining backyard chickens and domestic
\nbirds, believed to be the source of infection for Indonesia's
\nhuman victims.<\/p>\n
The virus, which has killed four people and sickened three
\nothers in the country, has taken more than 60 lives across Asia
\nsince late 2003. Hundreds of millions of birds have also been
\nkilled or slaughtered.<\/p>\n
International health experts fear that if the virus mutates
\ninto a form that is easily transmissible between people, it could
\nspark a pandemic, possibly killing millions.<\/p>\n
Anton said his office would start working with the Ministry of
\nForestry and the Office of the State Minister of the Environment
\n\"to do research on wild birds and uncaged domestically raised
\nbirds.\"<\/p>\n
That would include looking at domestically bred pigeons, he
\nsaid, though he provided few details about the joint-research
\nproposal.<\/p>\n
A pigeon in Jakarta's eastern suburb of Bekasi recently tested
\npositive for the deadly H5N1 virus, forcing the cull of 50 other
\nbirds, Anton said.<\/p>\n
He earlier said that discovery was alarming because of the
\nbirds' potential to spread the disease. \"We can all imagine how
\nlong and how far pigeons can fly,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anton said inter-ministerial cooperation was essential because
\nlaws and regulations allowed the ministry to only monitor sick
\npoultry.<\/p>\n
The Office of the State Minister of the Environment had the
\nright to examine domestic birds, while the Ministry of Forestry
\noversaw wild birds, he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-examine-backyard-chickens-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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