Vigilance urged over avian flu<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Surabaya\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The government declared on Monday that the outbreak of avian
\ninfluenza in the country was an \"extraordinary\" situation after
\nit reported a fourth human fatality and two new cases of humans
\ninfection.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Fadilah Supari said the status had been
\nimposed to alert both the public and authorities to the risk of
\nthe bird flu spreading<\/p>\n
Under this status, people who exhibit the symptoms of bird flu
\ncan be forcibly hospitalized, while the government will provide
\nfree medication.<\/p>\n
\"We expect people to be more cautious across the country,\"
\nSiti said, adding that the extraordinary status would last for 21
\ndays in the preliminary stage.<\/p>\n
\"We hope we will be more aggressive in the face of the
\noutbreak and that financing to curb it will be focused,\" the
\nminister added.<\/p>\n
The government confirmed last week the death of a 37-year-old
\nJakarta resident from the virus. Previously a resident of
\nTangerang, Banten, and his two young daughters were also killed
\nby the H5N1 virus.<\/p>\n
As of Monday afternoon, four children have been admitted to
\nSulianti Saroso Hospital in North Jakarta. Two of them have
\ntested positive for the virus. Samples of the blood of the other
\ntwo have been sent to a Hong Kong laboratory.<\/p>\n
Siti said children were more vulnerable to the virus than
\nadults.<\/p>\n
\"Keep your surroundings clean, keep your birds clean. If you
\nshow flu-like symptoms -- your temperature is high and you have
\nbreathing difficulties -- go to the hospital immediately and tell
\nthe doctors there,\" Siti advised.<\/p>\n
She said the government had assigned 44 state-owned hospitals
\nto treat bird flu patients.<\/p>\n
Separately, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi
\nShihab said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would hold a
\nCabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss strategies including
\nfunding to curb the outbreak.<\/p>\n
The government has allocated Rp 158 billion (about US$15.8
\nmillion) to battle bird flu but Siti said more funds would be
\nneeded.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyanto said his office needed
\nmore money to handle sick birds, but acknowledged that the
\ngovernment lacked the money to carry out a mass cull as suggested
\nby the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/p>\n
The WHO requires that poultry within a radius of three
\nkilometers from any bird flu outbreak be killed.<\/p>\n
WHO director general Lee Jong-Wook on Monday urged nations to
\nprepare for a bird flu pandemic, saying they should not be caught
\nunawares by an obvious threat, AFP reported.<\/p>\n
Jakarta's Ragunan Zoo remains closed following the discovery
\nof infected birds there. During its closure the area will be
\nsterilized.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the management of Surabaya Zoo in East Java has
\nissued a policy, banning zookeepers from visiting commercial
\npoultry farms. The zoo remained open on Monday.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, the management of Gembiraloka Zoo checked their
\nbirds for the flu. However, the zoo also remained opened on
\nMonday.<\/p>",
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