Bird Flu Deaths and developments Indonesia

Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar has ordered officials in Tangerang, Indonesia to open a crisis center to better coordinate the fight against the spread of avian influenza in the regency. Since 2005, 16 local people have been infected in the regency, resulting in 14 deaths.

Officials have also been ordered to develop regulations on poultry trade and industry.

Following the deaths of Iwan Siswara, an official at the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), and his two young daughters in July 2005 the central Indonesian government declared Tangerang a "red zone" for bird flu.

The red zone status had the effect that poultry breeders and chicken meat traders have since experienced a slump in trade.

The recent deaths of two Tangerang residents at Sulianto Saroso Hospital in North Jakarta and Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta last month have lead to a rising concern about the spread of avian flu in the Tangerang area.

Acknowledging the need for co-ordinated action, Head of the regency health agency Hani Heriyanto said that, "It seems the health and husbandry agency is the only one that worries about the virus transmission here, while other agency officials remain undisturbed even though many have died of the virus."