January 26, 2006

WHO warns Indonesia to clean up animal markets

The World Health Organization (WHO) is giving notice to Indonesia to clean up its markets to prevent bird flu as yet another human case was confirmed by local labs  on Wednesday. 

The man, a chicken seller in Jakarta, is in hospital after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus, said a senior Health Ministry official. Indonesia has had 14 confirmed deaths from bird flu and five cases where patients survived.

Markets must improve their hygiene standards to help prevent more human bird flu fatalities said Peter Karim Ben Embarek, a scientist with the WHO's food safety department after touring an animal market in Jarkarta.

Reducing people's exposure to the disease, improving the hygiene of the food supply and upgrading the waste management system are challenges the Indonesian government must face to eradicate bird flu, he said. Sanitation in many traditional markets in Indonesia is poor, with dirty or drainage water used to wash produce and stalls. Even in urban areas, many live in close proximity to poultry.

Ben Embarek is a member of a four-man WHO team carrying out an assessment of health and safety standards at traditional markets in the country. The WHO plans to set up training programs on improving waste management and sanitation for managers of Indonesian traditional markets.

Meanwhile, China has announced that a 29-year-old woman has died from bird flu, bringing the number of human fatalities in the country to seven.

The woman was a market worker in Chengdu, a city in the southwestern province of Sichuan. She was tested positive for the virus on Jan 12 after showing signs of fever and pneumonia, the agency said Wednesday. The health ministry confirmed she was the country's 10th human bird flu case.