Government plays down anthrax spread

JAKARTA (JP): The government called on the public on Wednesday not to take seriously a reported anthrax infection which has plagued an ostrich husbandry site in the West Java regency of Purwakarta.

Director General of Contagious Diseases and Settlement Environmental Sanitation Umar Fachmi told The Jakarta Post he found there was no need to quarantine the settlement around the breed site, situated some 90 kilometers east of Jakarta.

A local resident has been suffering from a bleeding ulcer, which is known as a specific symptom of anthrax, after reportedly eating ostrich meat.

Umar played down the fear, saying the virus had passed its incubation period without giving any trace of spreading.

He said the virus needs seven days to breed in an animal or human body.

"If the ostrich meat was eaten on Jan. 5, then the virus should have shown its effects within a week. Now the period is over, and no other locals have complained about the disease," he said.

He added that the virus, although deadly, could be cured by antibiotic medicines.

"Early treatment could eliminate the disease although the virus stays in your body," he said.

Following the report, the local administration isolated the 70-hectare breed site and has given anti-anthrax vaccines to thousands of livestock in the animal husbandries located nearby, including in Subang, Karawang and Bekasi.

Some 3,000 ostriches bred by residents of Ciparungsari village, also in Purwakarta, have been diagnosed with the virus.

Hundreds of the animals were stolen by nearby residents, ignoring the local administration's warnings. (01)