Bird Flu Kills 11-Year-Old Boy In Cambodia, Batam Port Increases Vigilance

BATAM - Batam Class I Port Health Office (KKP) has increased awareness of the entry of people from abroad to Indonesia through Batam following the discovery of the death of an 11-year-old child in Cambodia who is suspected of being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.

"If the tightening has not been directly carried out, for example, it is like conducting an examination of every entry. But we have increased our vigilance by paying attention to people who come if they appear to have symptoms of bird flu," said Head of Quarantine Control and Epidemiological Surveillance (PKSE) of the Batam Class I KKP, Romer Simanungkalit, Tuesday, February 28, confiscated by Antara.

He said that his party had also received a circular from the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to carry out surveillance at the entrance and exit of the international port in Batam.

Supervision carried out by the Batam KKP at the entrance and exit of international ports, he said, is currently still generally only conducting surveillance.

However, he emphasized that for preparedness, his party is quite ready because they already have experience when monitoring COVID-19.

"Our readiness is sufficient, especially since we have handled COVID-19. There is no special readiness for it but we are still monitoring COVID-19. Our human resources (human resources) are also adequate," he said.

He explained that H5N1 bird flu usually has symptoms such as fever, cough, and runny nose. Later, if found at the door of arrival, people with these symptoms will be taken to the hospital for further examination.

"Until now it is still safe, we have not found these symptoms in the incoming person," he said.