Bird Flu Case Enters Cambodia, Indonesia Asked To Be Alert

Illustration - Bird Flu Alert

JAKARTA - Bird flu is spreading in various parts of Cambodia. Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Lestari Moerdijat said increasing vigilance to anticipate the transmission of bird flu to humans must be carried out immediately considering that this case has already occurred in the Southeast Asian region.

"The finding that there has been transmission of bird flu to humans in Cambodia must really be anticipated to prevent the spread of the disease in the Southeast Asian region," said Lestari Moerdijat as quoted by ANTARA Monday, February 27.

Lestari said the former director of WHO Communicable Diseases Southeast Asia Tjandra Yoga Aditama had revealed cases of bird flu (H5N1) that had spread to humans in Cambodia. An 11-year-old child in Cambodia died from the disease.

Previously, there were 22 chickens and three ducks that died in the family's home environment. In the village where the family lives, a number of wild birds have died, and there are 11 other people who are being examined for the possibility of contracting bird flu.

According to Lestari, who is Deputy Chairperson of the MPR RI Coordinator of Absorption of Community and Regional Aspirations, efforts to prevent the spread of bird flu cases to humans must be carried out immediately in order to fortify every country, including Indonesia.

Collaboration between ministries and non-ministerial government agencies (K/L), such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Quarantine Agency, must be strengthened to monitor the movement of poultry and people between regions.

She hopes that the monitoring mechanism in a number of places, such as poultry farms, animal markets, and residences must be improved by immediately reporting to the authorities if unnatural poultry deaths are found.

In addition, in a number of health facilities, Lestari hopes that health workers will also be aware of a number of flu symptoms that are found.

She said the pattern of controlling the spread of infectious diseases by involving many parties demands solidity between related Ministries/Institutions and the community in its implementation.

The values ​​of community unity and mutual cooperation that were once applied during the COVID-19 pandemic must be able to be revived in an effort to hasten the necessary preventive measures.