U.S. official in RI to discuss bird flu

U.S. official in RI to discuss bird flu

The top U.S. health official will discuss ways to identify and
contain bird flu outbreaks with Indonesian leaders on Monday,
although he acknowledged that the chances of halting a pandemic
if the virus mutates into a more dangerous form are "not good."

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt arrived
in Jakarta Sunday for a two-day visit, following stops in
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

He will discuss Indonesia's capacity to respond to bird flu
outbreaks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Health
Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari and Coordinating Minister
for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, said U.S. Embassy spokesman Max
Kwak.

Before leaving Hanoi, Leavitt told reporters his Southeast
Asia tour has painted a clearer picture of just how daunting it
would be to identify and contain an outbreak if the virus mutates
to a form easily spread among people. It could skip across
borders and oceans, killing millions and crippling entire
nations.

"Can we create a network of surveillance sufficient enough to
find the spark when it happens, to get there fast enough?" he
said. "The chances of that happening are not good."

More than 60 people have died from the virus in Southeast Asia
- three in Indonesia - since the disease began ravaging poultry
stocks in the region two years ago. So far, most humans deaths
have been linked to contact with birds.

While Indonesia has vowed to do everything possible to combat
the deadly H5N1 virus, it also has complained about a lack of
funds. -- AP