Bird flu virus spreads in Riau after boy's death

Rizal Harahap ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Pekanbaru   |  Sat, 04/11/2009 1:42 PM  |  The Archipelago

The bird flu virus has spread within Sungai Apit district in Siak regency, Riau, following the death of a child infected with the virus at the end of March, says a local official, adding prevention measures were being hampered by residents' reluctance to cull their poultry.

District chief Indra Atmaja said the spread of the virus was only discovered following reports of poultry dying abruptly on April 4.

"After checking by a team of veterinarians, two of the chickens tested positive for bird flu. A day earlier, we received reports that 12 chickens owned by other residents had died suddenly," Indra told The Jakarta Post by phone on Wednesday.

He added the virus had spread to Teluk Masjid and Teluk Batil villages and Sungai Apit subdistrict.

"Seven chickens died suddenly the previous day in Sungai Apit subdistrict, while in Teluk Masjid and Teluk Batil the number has reached 29," he said.

"Based on field tests conducted by the Siak Animal Husbandry Agency, the chickens tested positive for bird flu."

Indra said the test results had been publicized through village chiefs and neighborhood unit chiefs to raise residents' awareness of the risk of infection.

The team from the Siak Animal Husbandry Agency has sprayed residents' poultry cages with disinfectant to prevent the virus from spreading further.

Indra also urged residents to cull their poultry. However, he said only few residents were willing, while most would only do so if paid to.

"It's not that we don't want to, but the district office has no such budget for the purpose. For now, we can only remind the residents, including through sermons at mosques, of the risks of bird flu. We cannot force the residents to cull their poultry if they don't want to," he said.

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