Bekasi: One Group Positive #H5N1 in Poultry, Neighbors Poultry are Negative

26 Oktober 2011
A total of 425 chickens belonging to a resident in Ujungharapan village, RT 1 / 4, Bahagia, Babelan District, Bekasi Regency died out of a sudden.

Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Marine Affairs Service (DPPK) Bekasi stated the cattle was found bird flu virus positive. To avoid human casualties, the government burned the whole chicken carcasses.

Abdul Gofar Fathullah, poultry owner, acknowledged not having the slightest suspicion of the dead animal. Initially, only 10 chickens died of yet unknown cause. These events were repeated until 375 out of 500 of his poultry were lifeless.

Abdul then reported the incident to the office of Bahagia neighborhood association. 50 chickens of his neighbor's were also found dead.

"Every day, there were dead chickens. I reported the case to the neighborhood chief," said Abdul, Tuesday.

Upon receiving the report, the association forwarded it to DPPK to have a follow-up. Sample taking by the DPPK team discovered that the hundreds of chickens died of H5N1.

"About 75 percent of the carcasses were burnt by officers," he said.

Rudi Koirudin Muntaha, Bahagia neighborhood association chief, said there are four livestock groups in the region including poultry. But only one group was declared bird flu virus positive, one of which belonged to Abdul Gofar.

"His chicken was bird flu positive, but none of the people was infected based on the examination of Health officers," he said.

Ajit Asep Kusnadi, Head of Animal Health of DPPK Bekasi, confirmed the discovery of the H5N1 virus in Bahagia area, Bekasi District.

In order to avoid similar deaths of poultry in other farms, he calls for farmers to close the cages so as to avoid people from passing through.