I

n light of the recent detection of bird flu in Badung, the Denpasar municipal administration has increased its disinfectant-spraying activities at bird markets and other traditional markets in the city.

Wednesday saw the spraying of Satria Market and Sanglah Market.

Astriwati, head of the Denpasar Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency's veterinary and animal health division, said her agency had raised the frequency of the spraying since last weekend.

"We usually do it every Friday, but we're going to do more each week, since they just found another suspected bird flu patient in a place very close to Denpasar," she said.

On Monday, a 20-year-old man in Jagapati village, Badung, on the northern outskirts of Denpasar, was declared a suspected bird flu patient after dozens of chickens in the village tested positive for the virus.

The Badung Health Agency is still waiting for lab test results on his blood, while the Badung Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency is culling fowl in the area.

In Denpasar, Astriwati said the agency would distribute the disinfectant, Detan, for free to the public.

She said the city had distributed the disinfectant to all families there since 2007, adding that any resident could get the drug by submitting a written request to their village or subdistrict head.

Detan can be used in any spraying tool, after first mixing 5 milliliters of the disinfectant with 10 liters of water, and then spraying the solution into a birdcage or its surroundings, Astriwati said.

"And from what we've seen, the public has been doing well with the spraying program, which is why I think we haven't seen any cases of bird flu in the city."

Agency head Dewa Made Ngurah said his office was concentrating on limiting animal traffic and raising sanitation efforts in areas around Jagapati village.