Bird Flu Outbreaks Appear Across Indonesia

[george]

Bird Flu Outbreaks Appear Across Indonesia

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Although the spread of bird flu has slowed in most countries, outbreaks have appeared across Indonesia, where government resources are stretched thin in the fight against the disease, a United Nations agency said Monday.

The virus has extended its range in southern Sumatra, while West Kalimantan recently became the latest province to be infected with the avian influenza, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said in a statement.

It said the disease is strongly suspected to have also spread to Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores and West Timor.

"Given the current state of avian influenza in the country, and the limited resources available to fully implement the control strategy, the disease is likely to continue circulating for several months," the FAO said.

Eight Asian countries have been battling a severe form of the avian influenza virus, and about 100 million chickens have either died from the illness or been slaughtered since December. The virus has jumped to humans only in Vietnam and Thailand, where a total of 24 people have died.

Although some Asian countries have said their outbreaks are coming under control, international health officials have repeatedly warned that the Asia bird flu crisis isn't yet over.

Hans Wagner, the FAO's senior animal production and health officer in Bangkok, told The Associated Press that the virus does seem to be slowing down in most countries. The new outbreaks reported recently in Thailand were a reemergence of the virus in previously hit areas, he said.

However, the situation in Indonesia is much more serious than in other countries because of "the magnitude of the outbreak and the magnitude of the problem."

"It is very clear that the Indonesian authorities are stretched to the limit," he said.

Indonesia has been criticized for waiting months before it acknowledged the existence of bird flu there and for being slow to order a culling program.

The official death toll of chickens in Indonesia is estimated at 6.2 million, and the number of chickens culled estimated at 2.5 million. However, the FAO estimates that a total of 15 million chickens have died or been culled.

The FAO statement said the movement of livestock and livestock products from affected areas to clear zones is a cause for serious concern in Indonesia.

Due to inadequate resources, the government is not able to effectively quarantine affected areas and many farms are not able to apply basic bio-security measures, the statement said, quoting Joseph Domenech, chief of the FAO's Animal Health Service.

Separately, the FAO said Monday that Japan has pledged US$1.6 million to help Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam in their fights against bird flu. The FAO will use the money to provide technical expertise, basic emergency equipment and materials for investigations, culling operations and cleaning and disinfection of infected premises.

--AP 2004-03-22