Indonesia is the country worst hit by avian influenza.
Rome, 18 March (AKI) - The prevalence of avian influenza in Indonesia remains serious despite containment efforts undertaken by national authorities and the international community, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) warned on Tuesday.
“The human mortality rate from bird flu in Indonesia is the highest in the world and there will be more human cases if we do not focus more on containing the disease at source in animals,” said FAO chief veterinary officer Joseph Domenech.
“Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that the high level of virus circulation in birds in the country could create conditions for the virus to mutate and to finally cause a human influenza pandemic,” Domenech warned.
“The avian influenza situation in Indonesia is grave – all international partners and national authorities need to step up their efforts for halting the spread of the disease in animals and making the fight against the virus a top priority.”
Avian influenza has become deeply entrenched in Indonesia with 31 out of 33 provinces being infected.
The virus is endemic in Java, Sumatra, Bali and southern Sulawesi with sporadic outbreaks reported from other areas.
Since the first outbreaks in 2003 avian influenza has spread rapidly across Java into Bali, Kalimantan and Sumatra. In 2006 the virus spread further east infecting Papua and much of Sulawesi.
About twenty percent of the chicken population of 1.4 billion is scattered in around 30 million backyards, where people raise poultry for food or income.
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Source: http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.1985178036 
















