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AI-endemic regions in Indonesia halved
According to an Indonesian health official, the number
of Indonesian provinces where bird flu is endemic has nearly halved in the past
six months.
The whole of densely populated Java, however, remains affected.
While it is widely known that 30 of Indonesia's 33 provinces have reported
outbreaks of
avian
influenza, 14 of these have reported no new cases in the past six months,
and 21 of the total have never had a human infection.
Bayu Krisnamurthi, head of the Indonesian national committee on avian
influenza control and pandemic influenza preparedness said, “We are always
striving against the problem, of course big challenges remain in provinces that
are not free [of bird flu] especially those with a high density ratio of
population and fowl.â€
Bird flu has now killed 151 people in nine countries since 2003, according
to
figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Scientists
fear the virus could mutate into a form that can be passed easily between
people, leading to a possible human pandemic which could kill millions.
Editor WorldPoultry
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