# 2221
While we are still unsure as to exactly what has caused the disease outbreak in the North Sumatra Village of Air Batu, according to local media sources the WHO (World Health Organization) now has a team on the ground in the area.
Earlier this week we learned of 13 villagers hospitalized with `bird flu-like symptoms', and of the deaths of 3 others in the village last week. We are awaiting test results before we can know the cause of their illness.
This report from Kompas indicates that some WHO team members are in the village, while others are visiting the patients in the hospital.
Additionally, culling of birds has been completed within 1 kilometer of the birds that tested positive for the H5N1 virus.
In the article below, `socialisation ' refers to public education.
A Hat tip to Dutchy on Flutrackers for posting this translation from Kompas.com.
WHO is Monitoring Bird Flu in Air Batu
Sabtu, 9 Agustus 2008 | 00:59 WIB
The Head of the Health Section of the Province North Sumatran Candra Syafii in Medan, on Friday (8/8), said a team from the Organisation of the Health of the World (WHO) descended to monitor the development of the case of bird flu in Air Batu.
Some of the team's members saw directly the patient in RSUP Adam Malik, Medan, another part was in the Air Batu Village, Kecamatan Air Batu, Asahan.
They, said Candra, held investigation and the monitoring of the development of the illness (surveilans epidemiology). The team will be in North Sumatra until this case could be handled.
In the meantime, the Section Head Veteriner Dinas Peternakan North Sumatra Nurdin Lubis said, the extermination of the poultry has in the location been finished.
The team destroyed the poultry, especially in the radius one kilometre from the discovery of the positive case of the virus attack H5N1 in the village. ” We also has sprayed disinfectant in the pen and the settlement of the resident that we thought as the place of the development of the virus ,” he said.
The official of the combination, said Nurdin, continued to give the socialisation to the resident concerning bird flu. This socialisation was important to stifle the panic.
