Ragunan Zoo reopens, another suspected bird flu patient dies

Damar Harsanto and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso announced on Monday that his administration planned to reopen Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta on Tuesday.

"After more than three weeks of close monitoring and testing, we have found that the animals in the zoo are free of bird flu. That's why we've decided that it's now safe to reopen the zoo to the public.

"I myself will reopen the zoo. I want to show people that there's nothing to be afraid of about visiting Ragunan," Sutiyoso said.

The central government closed the 140-hectare Ragunan Zoo for 21 days starting Sept. 17 after it was discovered that 19 captive fowl had bird flu.

Later, Ragunan announced that 36 birds suspected of having bird flu had been placed in quarantined to prevent them spreading the virus to other animals.

These birds included peafowl, myna birds, wild duck, pygmy chickens, eagles, and herons.

Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyono said at that time that the zoo should be closed pending the treatment of the infected animals as well as the examination of all of the approximately 2,100 animals in the zoo, which was established in 1964.

The zoo's promotions and exhibitions director, Titi Saripunto Rini, said that laboratory checks on the animals at the veterinary laboratory in Bogor on Sept. 30 and Oct. 5 respectively had shown that all of the quarantined birds were free of bird flu.

"We guarantee that the zoo is safe for visitors as the laboratory has confirmed that all of the 2,100 animals in the zoo are free of bird flu," she said.

Titi said that during the zoo's closure, the 36 birds had received medical treatment.

She added that all of the 246 Ragunan employees who dealt directly with the animals had also tested negative for bird flu.

Titi disclosed that the zoo had incurred losses of between Rp 600 million and Rp 700 million due to the forfeiting of 21 days' gate receipts.

About 500 people visit the zoo every weekday, while around 2,000 people visit on weekend days.

Dozens of people who had visited the zoo reported to the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital after the government announced that birds in the zoo had been infected by avian influenza.

On Monday, a 50-year-old suspected bird flu patient died after being treated for several hours in the hospital.

"After examining his lungs, we concluded that he had bird-flu symptoms. However, we will have to await for the results of the laboratory tests for confirmation," hospital spokesman Ilham Patu said.

The latest death has increased to seven the number of patients who have died in the hospital from suspected bird flu since July.