Officials cull birds as cases rise<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
City officials culled scores of birds, including 35 pigeons, in
\nSunter Jaya, North Jakarta, on Tuesday, as confirmed human bird
\nflu cases rose to 10.<\/p>\n
Sulianti Saroso Hospital spokesman Ilham Patu said on Tuesday
\nthat the World Health Organization-sanctioned laboratory in Hong
\nKong had confirmed that Siti Sarah, 16, had died of bird flu.<\/p>\n
"We have a confirmation from Hong Kong that she was infected
\nwith bird flu," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Siti died last Sunday days after she was admitted to the Agung
\nHospital in Manggarai, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The announcement brought the number of confirmed human bird
\nflu cases to 10, including six deaths, since July, when the first
\nhuman case was found in Tangerang, Banten.<\/p>\n
The number of bird flu cases may go up to 11 as the Ministry
\nof Health announced on Monday that Dian Rahmaningrum had died of
\nbird flu last Sunday. Further tests by the WHO-sanctioned
\nlaboratory in Hong Kong were underway.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Husbandry Agency officials took blood samples from 50
\nbirds in Sunter Jaya on Monday, after a laboratory test by the
\nMinistry of Health suggested that Dian Rahmaningrum, who lived
\nin the neighborhood, died of from avian influenza last Saturday.<\/p>\n
At least eight of the birds in the neighborhood tested
\npositive to the avian influenza virus. Residents within a 200-
\nmeter radius of Dian's house voluntarily gave up their birds to
\nbe slaughtered.<\/p>\n
Head of animal health at the agency Ahmad Adnan said that they
\ndecided to kill all birds found within 200 meters of Dian's
\nhouse.<\/p>\n
Some 35 pigeons, three large turtledoves, two small
\nturtledoves and one dove were also culled.<\/p>\n
"We must kill the birds to prevent the virus from spreading to
\nother neighborhoods. The owners of those birds voluntarily handed
\nthem over as they said it was for their own safety," Ahmad said,
\nadding that the government did not compensate the owners.<\/p>\n
He said that his office was still conducting checks on other
\nneighborhoods across the city.<\/p>\n
Separately, the North Jakarta Husbandry Office and PT Kalbe
\nFarma conducted promotional activities and sprayed disinfectant
\nat the Mandiri Market in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, to prevent
\nbird flu from spreading to the area.<\/p>\n
The activities were welcomed by most chicken traders in the
\nmarket, who said that their sales had dropped since the bird flu
\noutbreak started in July.<\/p>\n
"After the explanation and spraying, we can now convince our
\ncustomers that our chicken meat is free from bird flu," Mutia,
\none of chicken traders at the market, told the Post.<\/p>\n
PT Kalbe Farma's public relations officer Dian Firlia said
\nthat they would continue to assist the husbandry agency to
\nconduct promotional activities and that they would be spraying
\nseveral more markets in the city to prevent the bird flu virus
\nfrom spreading.<\/p>\n
;JP;ABDUL;
\nANPAv..r..
\nPhoto-
\nPhoto caption
\nJP\/Abdul Khalik<\/p>\n
Photo caption<\/p>\n
BIRD FLU ACTION: Two officials from the North Jakarta Husbandry
\nAgency slaughter a pigeon before throwing it into a fire. On
\nTuesday the agency culled 41 birds in the Sunter Jaya
\nneighborhood after a local resident died from bird flu. Eight
\nbirds in the area tested positive to the virus.<\/p>",
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