Indonesia launches media blitz about avian flu

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Sep 1, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – Indonesia launched a month-long, nationwide media campaign today to warn people to take precautions against H5N1 avian influenza, according to news services.

Public service announcements on radio and television will urge people to wash their hands after contact with poultry, keep birds out of living areas, and cook poultry products thoroughly, according to a Bloomberg News report. People are also being urged to report sick birds to authorities and to seek treatment for illnesses that follow contact with poultry.

"We want bird flu to become part of history," said Bayu Krisnamurthi, head of the country's avian flu commission, as quoted in an Associated Press article in the Jakarta Post today.

The campaign is sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Japanese government and supported by the World Health Organization, Bloomberg reported.

A UNICEF official in Indonesia, Gianfranco Rotigliano, warned that the government faces a "huge challenge" in trying to teach the rural population about avian flu, given the country's great size and many ethnic groups, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report today.

The government said last month that about 30 million families keep backyard chickens, and during avian flu containment efforts, many refuse to turn in their birds despite offers of compensation, AFP reported.

Indonesia has had 60 human cases of H5N1 infection, 46 of them fatal, the second highest case count (after Vietnam) and the highest death toll.

In other news, Chinese officials are seeking 500 volunteers for the second clinical trial of an H5N1 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech Ltd., AFP reported yesterday.

No serious adverse reactions were reported among 120 volunteers who participated in the first trial of the vaccine, officials announced earlier this week.

The Beijing Youth Daily said the aim of the second trial is to see how long the vaccine's protective effect lasts, according to AFP.

Sinovac announced this week that it plans to produce 20 million doses of the vaccine annually over the next few years, AFP reported.

This week's top reads

  1. FDA significantly limits COVID-19 vaccine recommendations

    Critics said today’s announcement is more evidence of the current administration’s willingness to undermine public trust in vaccines.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    FDA building

  2. Woman dies of Creutzfeldt-Jakob almost 50 years after taking prion-contaminated growth hormone

    The patient, who presented with gait imbalance and tremors, wasn't diagnosed until she was in a coma, shortly before she died.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Woman in hospital bed

  3. Meta-analysis: Zika-infected pregnant moms 4 times more likely to have babies with microcephaly

    Five of 22 studies noted that over 50% of newborns had microcephaly, and the same number of studies observed that over 5% had congenital Zika syndrome. 

    Mary Van Beusekom

  4. HHS expected to discontinue COVID vaccine recommendations for some groups

    When CDC advisers widened their recommendation in 2023, most members were swayed by data, including those for long COVID, showing that no group is at low risk for the virus.

    Lisa Schnirring

  5. WHO advisers say current strains OK for COVID vaccine production

    Current vaccine strains show high neutralization against the latest variants, but the LP.8.1 antigen may provide similar or moderately higher cross-reactive antibody response.

    Lisa Schnirring
    senior vaccination

  6. US measles outbreak grows to 1,024 cases

    Texas remains the country's hot spot, with 718 cases. 

    Chris Dall
    Doctor treating child with measles

  7. Moderna pulls licensing submission for combo flu-COVID vaccine

    Moderna's combination vaccine was intended for adults 50 and older. 

    Stephanie Soucheray

  8. Flu vaccine efficacy 41% overall and 26% in older adults, per 2023-24 estimates

    Estimated effectiveness was 68% against influenza B and 32% against type A.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Flu shot going into arm

  9. Mpox activity escalates in Sierra Leone

    Responding to the surge is a major focus, partly to prevent the spread to other West African countries. 

    Lisa Schnirring
    mpox virus

  10. Testing ties Listeria outbreak to ready-to-eat sandwiches

    An earlier investigation hinted at hospital food as a source, but evidence didn't reveal a specific item.

    Lisa Schnirring

Our underwriters