Ministry of Health Investigate Alleged Bird Flu in South Kalimantan, After Cases of Poultry Deaths Found

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) is currently checking whether there is a link between bird flu (H5N1) clade or clade 2.3.4.4b with poultry deaths in South Kalimantan (Kalsel).

Checking the connection was carried out to increase awareness of extraordinary events (KLB) in this case, given the rapid and consistent mutation of the virus in mammals, so that the virus has a zoonotic tendency and has the potential to spread to humans.

“In South Kalimantan, we are checking whether the variant strain is really bird flu, because we are still checking,” said the Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin when met at the Kemenko PMK Building, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (28/2/2023) .

Also read: Balinese Residents With Symptoms of Bird Flu or Contact with Sudden Dead Poultry Are Asked to Report

Budi conveyed that his party had cooperated with the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) in handling bird flu in Indonesia. Later, said Budi, if a significant case of poultry death is found, the Ministry of Agriculture will report it to the Ministry of Health.

“If there are indications of significant poultry mortality, later (Ministry of Agriculture) must coordinate with us, because then it can spread to humans,” said Budi.

Even so, Budi added, the risk of transmission between humans was still low. The transmission of bird flu cases in Cambodia, he said, occurred from animals to humans, not from humans to humans.

“So we identified it as an animal (infected to humans). If a lot of poultry died, then we will pursue that. What we are still double checking with Kalimantan (South) is the variant of bird flu,” explained Budi.

For information, bird flu cases were found in South Kalimantan Province. Many poultry are suspected of being infected with Avian Influenza (AI) or bird flu.

Also read: Beware of Clade Bird Flu 2.3.4.4b, which has the potential to infect humans

Responding to this, the government is finally aware of the Extraordinary Event (KLB) of New Clade Avian Flu 2.3.4.4b, although currently the risk of infection in humans is still low.

This rule is contained in the Circular of the Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) Number PV.03.01/C/824/2023 concerning Precautions for Extraordinary Events of Bird Flu (H5N1) New Clade 2.3.4.4b which was stipulated on 24 February 2023.

Through this regulation, heads of provincial, district/city health offices and heads of port health offices (KKP) throughout Indonesia are asked to coordinate and cooperate with agencies in charge of animal health functions and other related sectors in efforts to prevent and control bird flu in humans. .

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