- Title: INDONESIA: AUTHORITIES BEGIN EXTENSIVE BIRD FLU TESTING PROGRAMME.
- Date: 21st July 2005
- Summary: (BN09) TANGERANG, BANTEN PROVINCE, INDONESIA (JULY 21, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. GV/MV/CU/LV: VETERINARIAN OF INDONESIA AGRICULTURE MINISTRY TEAM TAKING BLOOD SAMPLE OF DUCK; FARMER HOLDING DUCK; BLOOD SAMPLE BEING TAKEN (7 SHOTS) 0.32 2. (SOUNBITE)(Bahasa Indonesia) FEBYA, VETERINARIAN, SAYING: "We will bring these samples for further investigation to the Agriculture Ministry's laboratory." 0.46 3. MV: LOCAL CHILDREN WATCHING 0.52 4. (SOUNDBITE)(Bahasa Indonesia) MAIMUNAH, CHICKEN FARMER, SAYING: "If they killed all of my chicken, I can understand that. This is to prevent the spreading of the disease. I know that it (bird flu) is dangerous." 1.06 5. MV/CU: AGRICULTURE MINISTRY WORKERS PUTTING ON PROTECTIVE CLOTHING (2 SHOTS) 1.21 6. GV/MV: PIG PEN; OFFICIALS WALKING INSIDE PIG FARM; VETERINARIAN MARKING SAMPLE IN TEST TUBES; MORE OF OFFICIALS TAKING SAMPLE FROM PIGS (6 SHOTS) 1.54 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th August 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TANGERANG, BANTEN PROVINCE, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Reuters ID: LVAATH2GP3K2G8DCUZY5Q1F5BHTN
- Story Text: Indonesian authorities begin extensive bird flu testing programme.
Authorities on Thursday (July 21) started extensive tests on
animal farms within a 20 kilometre (km) (12 miles) radius of the house where Indonesia's first bird flu victims lived.
The family lived in Tangerang, a suburb about 30 km (19 miles) from the
centre of Jakarta, a city of 10 million.
Febya, a veterinarian from the Ministry of Agriculture said that tests
were being carried out on pig and poultry farms and that samples would be tested for the bird flu virus.
"We will bring these samples for further investigation to the
Agriculture Ministry's laboratory." she said.
Authorities have moved quickly since confirming on Wednesday (July 20)
that three Indonesians had died from the bird flu virus. They have already taken samples of more than 300 people who had contact with the family and have now begun extensive tests on animals within a 20 km radius of the family's house.
At a news conference earlier on Thursday the Ministry of Health
announced that all infected animals would be culled and that dozens of
hospitals around the country were being prepared to help treat any more people infected. The Agriculture Ministry has also requested from parliament almost 5 million U.S. dollars in emergency funds to cope with the latest outbreak.
Last month, Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country with
220 million people, had reported its first human case in a poultry worker, but the man did not develop symptoms and is healthy.
Some of the affected farmers have no objection of the government plans
of a mass cull if their animals are found to be carrying the virus.
"If they killed all of my chickens, I can understand that. This is
to prevent for the spreading of the disease. I know this is dangerous,"
said Maimunah, who farms chickens near the victims' house.
Health authorities fear the virus will mutate and become easily passed
between humans, which could cause a global pandemic. The Agriculture Ministry has reported sporadic H5N1 virus outbreaks killing more than nine million fowl in 21 provinces, out of a total of 33, across the archipelago since late 2003.
The virus has already jumped species in Indonesia and was discovered in
pigs in May on densely populated Java island. Pigs can carry human flu
viruses, which can combine with avian viruses, swap genes and create virulent new strains. However, pig farming in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, is not widespread. Islam regards pigs as unclean.
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