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research team from Surabaya-based Airlangga University will examine Avian flu virus samples to investigate the possibility of the disease spreading to humans.

 Head of the university'€™s Avian Influenza Research Center Chairul Anwar Nidom said the team consisting of 14 researchers had acquired samples of the H5N1 virus from two locations, Lamongan and Banyuwangi regencies, where the virus has killed thousands of poultry.

'€œWe will analyze how far the virus has changed or mutated as well as the risk that the virus could be transmitted to people,'€ Chairul told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Over 7,000 poultry, mostly ducks, have reportedly died from avian flu in Wringinagung hamlet, Sumberejo village, Gambiran district, Banyuwangi mid-March, while over 700 were reported to have died in Sembung village, Sukorame district, Lamongan regency.

Banyuwangi Husbandry Agency data showed that Wringinagung was home to 30 breeders who together owned over 10,000 animals.

As well as birds, the virus has reportedly also claimed human lives.

On March 24, last year, an officer of the immigration office'€™s Kelapa Gading branch in North Jakarta, passed away after being infected with avian flu a few weeks earlier. Two days later, his two-year-old toddler, who had been infected as well, also died.

In April, 2014, a 2-year-old toddler identified as RNA died of avian flu following exposure to live poultry in Wonogiri, Central Java and, in June of the same year, a 33-year-old man in Jakarta, Reza Ahmadi, was pronounced died of avian flu at Pondok Kopi Islamic Hospital, East Jakarta.

East Java Deputy Governor Saifullah Yusuf said that all the hospitals in the province already had the facilities to handle avian flu patients. Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya has previously expressed a readiness to take in avian flu patients.

Chairul blamed the return of avian flu in East Java on the uncontrolled use of avian flu vaccines.

'€œPeople believe that there are no restrictions on the number of vaccinations or vitamin injections one can give birds. This also influences regional administration budgets,'€ said Chairul who is also a professor of the university'€™s school of veterinary science.

Improper budget allocations, he said, could lead to vaccinations being given to poultry birds that do not require them, which in turn could lead to mutations in the virus.

Separately, the East Java Husbandry Agency head Maskur confirmed the sudden deaths of birds due to avian flu in Banyuwangi and Lamongan.

Maskur said that his office had deployed a rapid response team to localize the impact of the outbreak.

'€œWe have temporarily banned the sale of chickens and ducks from Banyuwangi and Lamongan,'€ he said.

Meanwhile, the West Java Husbandry Agency noted that 15,472 birds, including chickens, ducks and quails, were infected by the avian flu virus.

'€œAll the birds have been culled,'€ agency head Doddy Firman was quoted by Antara as saying.

Doddy said avian flu cases had occurred in several regions, including Subang, Indramayu, Bekasi, Majalengka, Purwakarta, Kuningan and Tasikmalaya.

On March 15, The South Jakarta Marine, Agriculture and Food Security Agency received a report that at least 20 birds had been found dead in the neighborhood. The agency carried out a laboratory test and found that the birds were infected with avian flu.