SWINE FLU

Indonesia Health Minister statement about SWINE flu.

Health Minister, Siti Fadilah Supari announced public not to be afraid but keep aware to any possibility of swine flu emerging in Indonesia.

Fatality rate of bird flu (H5N1) appears to be higher – about 80-90 percent – compare to pig flu (H1N1) which about 6.4 percent. However, public asked to be aware since this virus has been confirmed to be transmissible among human.

H1N1 virus is only survivable in sub tropic area – in particular during autumn and winter – such as North America. Indonesia is a tropical country so that the possibility for the virus to survive is relatively low, said Health Minister in press conference, Ministry of Public Welfare Coordination (Menkokesra) office, Jakarta, Monday (27/4).

Pig/Swine flu or H1N1 cannot survive in warm temperate area such as Indonesia. But citizen are required to maintain self hygiene.

For preparedness of any possibility of this virus to emerge in Indonesia, Ministry of Health has ordered related parties to terminate import of pork. Moreover, government will do surveillance to numbers of pig farms in Indonesia, in total 9 millions pig population.

Meanwhile, airports in Indonesia have been equipped with Thermo Scanner or body temperature detector for new entrants.

Ministry of health also supplies Health Alert Card to airways companies and sea harbor, about the health/flu status, which required to be filled by new entrants.

Furthermore, Ministry of Health has prepared Tamiflu stock for H1N1 treatment.

In the same event, Director of Animal Derived Disease Control (PPBB) Ministry of Health, Rita Kusriastuti said, Thermo Scanner has been set up in 10 airports, i.e. Ngurah Rai Bali, Makassar, Surabaya, South Kalimantan, Jakarta, Batam and Medan.

Three millions Tamiflu for therapeutics have been prepared, and 100 reference hospitals will also be re-trained to anticipate the occurrence of the disease. Doctors in numbers of hospitals are also ordered to be more considerate in examining patients, said Rita.



Source: Indonesia Communication and Information Ministry. Departemen Komunikasi dan Informasi. http://www.depkominfo.go.id/2009/04/27/masyarakat-diminta-waspadai-flu-babi/