Reforestation urged to stop anthrax spread<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Purwakarta local government should ban the
\n70-hectares anthrax-plagued ostrich husbandry in Ciparung Sari
\nvillage now isolated from any use for 10 years, and transfer it
\ninto a forest area instead.<\/p>\n
\"Reforestation will calm the anthrax virus and restrict the
\nspread of the disease,\" the Ministry of Agriculture's Director of
\nAnimal Research, Kusuma Diwyanto, said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He said the virus normally requires 50 years to become locally
\nextinct and while trees cannot eliminate the virus, they will
\nhelp precipitate the process.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the virus is dormant, it will be harmless and will
\nnot spread,\" Kusuma added.<\/p>\n
Anthrax has been diagnosed to affect the husbandry, a home to
\nsome 3,000 ostriches. Some people living near the husbandry have
\nignored warnings from the local administration and have stolen
\nbirds for food.<\/p>\n
Kusuma said the ostrich husbandry, which runs without proper
\nlicense, never checked the condition of the land with the
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
\"The land is one of the areas in Indonesia prone to anthrax
\ndisease. It was originally restricted to husbandry,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Kusuma said there were several areas in the country which
\ncontained the virus but could be reclaimed with some extra
\nmeasures, including vaccination.<\/p>\n
The Director General of Contagious Diseases and Settlement
\nEnvironmental Sanitation, Umar Fahmi said on Monday that as long
\nas other animals in the plagued area had been vaccinated, the
\nvirus would not spread.<\/p>\n
The number of people contracted with anthrax has increased,
\nUmar said, but the government has already taken steps to contain
\nthe disease.<\/p>\n
\"People should not worry about an anthrax epidemic because the
\ndisease spreads through animals.\"<\/p>\n
Umar asserted that local meat was safe because the government
\nhas imposed standard procedures in dealing with the virus.<\/p>\n
The procedures include eliminating all sick animals and
\nsurrounding plants. Vaccination then is applied to other animals
\nin the area.<\/p>\n
\"The vaccine will definitely kill the virus,\" he added.(04)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reforestation-urged-to-stop-anthrax-spread-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }