Government plays down anthrax spread

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)