Poultry ban for 6 months

Poultry ban for 6 months

JAKARTA (JP): The ministry of agriculture said here Saturday
that a ban on poultry imports, particularly from Hong Kong and
mainland China, introduced on Jan. 1 would continue for six
months.

Head of the ministry's public relations department Darman B.
Hasibuan said the ban was aimed at preventing an outbreak of the
deadly bird flu which has killed several people in Hong Kong and
triggered fears of a worldwide epidemic.

He said the ministry, through its quarantine and animal
husbandry offices, had warned the public that there was a
possibility of contamination from any carrier of the disease.

"People who notice any symptoms of bird flu should immediately
report it to their local animal husbandry office," he said. (gis)