November 24, 2005

Indonesia to integrate bird flu information
 

Indonesia's government said it would start a bird flu task force latest by December, to integrate information on July's bird flu epidemic in the country.

Statements by officials would be integrated to ensure there would be no confusions or uncertainties about the bird flu situation among the population, the government said.

Officials from various professional and other relevant organisations would man a centralised information service for bird flu, the government added. Information about prevention efforts would also be shared.

Authorities also planned to work with academic institutions to spread information about bird flu.

The government said it has already designated 44 hospitals for suspected bird flu patients to be referred to, and has prepared a laboratory to test the virus.