City asks residents to remain vigilant
City asks residents to remain vigilant
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Although the Jakarta administration maintains the capital is free
from avian influenza, it has urged residents to be aware of the
possibility of an outbreak.
Three residents of Villa Melati Mas housing complex in Serpong,
Tangerang, died last month of the bird flu virus.
"So far, we have not received any reports of Jakarta residents
contracting the virus from the City Health Agency. But, I call on
residents to remain vigilant to stave off the virus, including by
properly cooking (poultry)," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said at
City Hall.
Avian influenza in chicken cannot withstand cooking at
80 degrees Celsius for three minutes, while the safe cooking time
for an egg is four and a half minutes at 60 degrees Celsius.
"Fortunately, most Jakartans are familiar with the process of
scalding, where the chicken is submerged in boiling water for at
least 15 minutes, which makes it easier to pluck," City Animal
Husbandry, Fishery and Maritime Affairs Agency head Edy Setiarto
said.
For chicken satay, he said, the meat was barbecued at a
temperature of up to 500 degrees Celsius.
"That's why we think it is safe to consume both chicken and
eggs," he said.
Public apprehension over eating chicken has severely affected
the poultry industry, which has reported a sharp decline in
demand.
Jakartans eat between 300,000 and 400,000 chickens a day,
mostly from cities in West Java, like Tasikmalaya, Bogor,
Cianjur, Sukabumi and Ciamis and Central Java in Surakarta. Only
7 percent of them are from Tangerang.
The agency has reported a 20 percent decline in sales of
chicken meat.
Some chicken suppliers, however, have reported a sharp plunge
of 65 percent.
Sulasto, a chicken supplier for several big chain restaurants
in the capital, said his supply of 14,000 chickens a day had been
slashed to 5,000.
The agency said it had introduced precautionary measures, such
as careful monitoring of the influx of chickens from Tangerang,
where the first avian flu case was detected. Tangerang is located
30 kilometers to the west of Jakarta.
The government has confirmed as dying from HN51 bird flu virus
Iwan Siswara Rafei, 38, who was an auditor with the National
Audit Agency, and his two young daughters Sabrina Nurul Aisyah,
9, and one-year old Thalita Nurul Hikmah.
The agency also said it had given free vaccinations to chicken
farmers in areas on the border of the city.
As of Monday, the agency had vaccinated at least 28,426
chickens on farms across the city.
Meanwhile, City Health Agency spokeswoman Zelvino confirmed
that no Jakarta resident had contracted the virus to date.
How to avoid bird flu virus
* Protect ourselves by washing hands frequently
* Avoid direct contact with poultry and livestock suspected of
bird flu infection. The virus can be transmitted through their
feces, vomit and saliva
* Poultry workers should always wear masks and gloves to avoid
any direct contact, as well as wash their hands with disinfectant
liquid after working
* Cook chicken meat and pork for at least three minutes at 80
degrees Celsius, as the virus cannot withstand high temperatures.
* Avoid consuming half-cooked eggs
* Take anyone with influenza, cough and high fever (above 38
degrees Celsius) to the nearest hospital, particularly those who
have a history of direct contact with poultry or infected animals
* Children, the elderly and people with heart problems and
chronic pulmonary disease should avoid livestock farms
Suspected avian flu treatment flowchart:
*Only patients showing avian flu symptoms and having had direct
contact with infected animals will be temporarily isolated for
observation in referral hospitals
*If laboratory tests are proven negative for any other disease
with similar symptoms, the patients' blood sample and throat swab
will be tested for avian flu
*Patients who are though to have avian flu can be treated with an
antiviral treatment
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Although the Jakarta administration maintains the capital is free
from avian influenza, it has urged residents to be aware of the
possibility of an outbreak.
Three residents of Villa Melati Mas housing complex in Serpong,
Tangerang, died last month of the bird flu virus.
"So far, we have not received any reports of Jakarta residents
contracting the virus from the City Health Agency. But, I call on
residents to remain vigilant to stave off the virus, including by
properly cooking (poultry)," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said at
City Hall.
Avian influenza in chicken cannot withstand cooking at
80 degrees Celsius for three minutes, while the safe cooking time
for an egg is four and a half minutes at 60 degrees Celsius.
"Fortunately, most Jakartans are familiar with the process of
scalding, where the chicken is submerged in boiling water for at
least 15 minutes, which makes it easier to pluck," City Animal
Husbandry, Fishery and Maritime Affairs Agency head Edy Setiarto
said.
For chicken satay, he said, the meat was barbecued at a
temperature of up to 500 degrees Celsius.
"That's why we think it is safe to consume both chicken and
eggs," he said.
Public apprehension over eating chicken has severely affected
the poultry industry, which has reported a sharp decline in
demand.
Jakartans eat between 300,000 and 400,000 chickens a day,
mostly from cities in West Java, like Tasikmalaya, Bogor,
Cianjur, Sukabumi and Ciamis and Central Java in Surakarta. Only
7 percent of them are from Tangerang.
The agency has reported a 20 percent decline in sales of
chicken meat.
Some chicken suppliers, however, have reported a sharp plunge
of 65 percent.
Sulasto, a chicken supplier for several big chain restaurants
in the capital, said his supply of 14,000 chickens a day had been
slashed to 5,000.
The agency said it had introduced precautionary measures, such
as careful monitoring of the influx of chickens from Tangerang,
where the first avian flu case was detected. Tangerang is located
30 kilometers to the west of Jakarta.
The government has confirmed as dying from HN51 bird flu virus
Iwan Siswara Rafei, 38, who was an auditor with the National
Audit Agency, and his two young daughters Sabrina Nurul Aisyah,
9, and one-year old Thalita Nurul Hikmah.
The agency also said it had given free vaccinations to chicken
farmers in areas on the border of the city.
As of Monday, the agency had vaccinated at least 28,426
chickens on farms across the city.
Meanwhile, City Health Agency spokeswoman Zelvino confirmed
that no Jakarta resident had contracted the virus to date.
How to avoid bird flu virus
* Protect ourselves by washing hands frequently
* Avoid direct contact with poultry and livestock suspected of
bird flu infection. The virus can be transmitted through their
feces, vomit and saliva
* Poultry workers should always wear masks and gloves to avoid
any direct contact, as well as wash their hands with disinfectant
liquid after working
* Cook chicken meat and pork for at least three minutes at 80
degrees Celsius, as the virus cannot withstand high temperatures.
* Avoid consuming half-cooked eggs
* Take anyone with influenza, cough and high fever (above 38
degrees Celsius) to the nearest hospital, particularly those who
have a history of direct contact with poultry or infected animals
* Children, the elderly and people with heart problems and
chronic pulmonary disease should avoid livestock farms
Suspected avian flu treatment flowchart:
*Only patients showing avian flu symptoms and having had direct
contact with infected animals will be temporarily isolated for
observation in referral hospitals
*If laboratory tests are proven negative for any other disease
with similar symptoms, the patients' blood sample and throat swab
will be tested for avian flu
*Patients who are though to have avian flu can be treated with an
antiviral treatment