Speaking in the provincial capital Makassar, Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo, who appointed the commission's 51 members, said bird flu had spread widely across the province, with a new case detected last week in Makassar's Sudiang subdistrict.

He added because it was difficult to track the virus, the province had drawn up preventive actions to stop the virus from infecting more people.

"Bird flu is a dangerous disease, especially if it spreads between humans. It can cause many deaths," he said.

"Therefore we have to involve all components of society in our efforts at prevention. I hope the commission will help in disseminating more information on bird flu."

The commission will be actively involved in prevention and handling during emergency situations, and up to a recovery period.

The new measures stipulate that once a bird flu case is detected, all poultry in the affected area must be culled and the area sealed off. Any residents showing symptoms of the disease must be taken to the nearest community health center (Puskesmas) and treated at a designated hospital.

Separately, South Sulawesi Health Agency head Rachmat Latief disclosed 17 patients suspected of being infected with the virus were in better condition after a 6-day intensive treatment at Wahidin Sudirohusodo General Hospital.

However, they are not yet allowed to return home pending laboratory results of tests on blood and phlegm samples being conducted at the Health Ministry's Research and Development Laboratory in Jakarta.

"In general, their condition is already good. But we are still waiting for the lab results which will show us whether they are infected with the virus," Rachmat said.

A spokesman for the hospital's bird flu team, Khalik Saleh, confirmed that as of Tuesday, the patients were improving.

"Considering their condition, we are optimistic they are not infected by the virus. But we are still waiting for the lab results. I hope the results are negative for bird flu," he said.

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