National News - Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
The North Sumatra Health Office remains on "extraordinary occurrence" (KLB) alert status following the deaths of three people and the hospitalization of 13 others believed to have contracted bird flu.
Office head Chandra Syafei Monday said his office had imposed KLB status because it had so far not received autopsy reports to determine the causes of deaths from the Health Ministry, including results on blood samples and bodily fluid from the patients from Air Batu district in Asahan regency.
Chandra said he personally learned that the patients' blood tests were negative for bird flu from the ministry's website, but remained wary due to the lack of an official report from the ministry.
"So far there has yet to be any report specifying whether the three victims in Asahan were positively or negatively infected with the bird flu virus. If the results are positive, we will have to monitor the area longer," Syafei told The Jakarta Post in Medan on Monday.
Chandra said a number of health workers were still in Asahan to monitor the situation.
"We are on full alert to monitor developments of a bird flu outbreak in Asahan. A team from the World Health Organization is still there to investigate the case," said Chandra.
He added that health officials were focusing on the three fatalities and the 13 current patients showing symptoms consistent with bird flu.
Chandra said so far those involved in the investigation could not determine the causes of death of the three victims and the 13 currently hospitalized.
"The three people died following the discovery of dead poultry, but we don't know whether or not it was the cause," Chandra added.
Chandra said authorities had disposed of 276 infected birds in Asahan and would continue to slay birds believed to be infected with virus.
Nearby Labuhan Ratu regency has killed 1,126 birds after seeing hundreds suddenly die in the past week.
Labuhan Batu Vice Regent Sudarwanto said the virus had affected the poultry population in six subdistricts of North Rantau: Padang Bulan, Cendana, Lobusona, Sirandorung, Ujung Bandar and Padang Matinggi.
Sudarwanto said his office had taken several measures to prevent the spread of the disease, such as disposing of birds, conducting public awareness campaigns and using rapid testing. It has also set up posts in bird flu-prone areas.
"We have so far carried out various anticipatory measures to curb the virus spread, and we urge people to remain alert," Sudarwanto said.
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