Five District Positive Bird Flu

By Ulul Maskuriah

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan ( Antaranews ) - The South Kalimantan Head of Animal Husbandry Agency Sabrie Madani said based on the results of laboratory tests, five districts namely Tanah Laut, Central Hulu Sungai, South Hulu Sungai, North Hulu Sungai, and Tabalong were H5N1I  virus or bird flu positive.

Sabrie in Banjarmasin , Thursday said , " We do not know exactly where the virus origin, whether from Tanah Laut

or Central Hulu Sungai, because these two districts fell ill at the same time."

Since the attack of bird flu in last two weeks up to now , the death of ducks has reached 20 thousand, and it is estimated that number will continue to grow, given the death of birds was still ongoing.

The steps now carried out by the Animal Husbandry Agency is sending a disinfectant to all farmers, 

especially those affected by the bird flu virus with a total of 50 tons.

In addition, all farmers were asked to bury dead ducks, and burned alive ill ducks, and routinely clean the cage , so that the virus is not contagious to other animals.

"The bird flu virus that occurs at this time specifically attacking ducks, but could not rule out attack other livestock, such as chickens , " he said.

Governor, added Sabrie, also has ordered to block lest livestock outside the province of South Kalimantan, to protect against the virus to spread to other areas.

In addition , he said, the livestock trade flows between the five district is also prohibited to protect farmers in other areas, which have not been attacked by a virus that is lethal to livestock.

Up to now, added Sabrie, it has not been able to confirm the origin of the virus, since in recent years the 

province of South Kalimantan is free of bird flu.

In addition to South Kalimantan, Avian virus also attacked East Java, South Sulawesi and Sumatra, did not 

rule out the virus here comes from several areas.

Duck populations in South Kalimantan has now reached 4 million over, while number of farmers in thousands. The duck deaths only about 5 percent of the population, so as not to interfere with the needs of ducks in South Kalimantan.