# 2009
Jambi Province Highlighted in Green
News out of Indonesia these past few months has been unusually slow, leaving one to wonder whether they are having more luck containing the virus or are simply getting better at containing media reports.
All along, there have been a steady stream of `suspected' human cases of H5N1 infection, but no recent confirmations. Even the suspected `family cluster' reported last week has been winnowed down to only one `confirmed' case.
The local Indonesia press continues to print stories about bird deaths and culling operations, but they rarely appear in the Jakarta Post. With the virus endemic and active throughout that archipelago nation, it simply isn't news anymore.
Today we have an exception. The Jakarta Post is reporting on a major bird die off in the Tebo Regency of Jambi Province. Authorities have issued the highest bird flu alert, particularly in those towns where the die offs occurred.
The reference to villagers reporting to the local community health center `every hour', I believe is a misprint. In the past we've seen villagers advised to report every 24 hours. Every hour would not only be overkill, it would be a logistical nightmare.
In any event, authorities seem particularly worried about this outbreak in domestic birds, and are conducting house-to-house health checks to attempt to catch any human cases early.
Here is how the Jakarta Post is reporting the story.
Bird flu alert in Tebo regency
Wed, 05/21/2008 10:43 AM | The Archipelago
JAMBI: The highest bird flu alert status has been declared in Rimbo Mulyo village in Rimbo Bujang district, Tebo regency, Jambi province, during the past three days after the sudden deaths of thousands of domestic birds in the area.
The alert means local people, especially those living on Jalan 15 and Jalan 23, where the sudden deaths occurred, are obliged to report to the local community health center every hour as a precaution.
The regency health office has set up a special task force to anticipate the possible transfer of the bird flu virus to humans by conducting door-to-door health checks.
"We're also calling on all members of the community to report to the community health centers should their neighbors, friends or family members become sick," head of Tebo health office Haflin said Tuesday.
Haflin said his office has worked hand in hand with the husbandry office to take preventive measures including providing vaccines, spraying disinfectant and culling possibly infected poultry.
Disinfectant has been sprayed and medicine distributed within a 1 kilometer radius of the areas where the sudden deaths occurred, head of Tebo husbandry office Alfred said. -- JP
