Polewali Mandar – Avian Influenza H5N1 is infecting birds in West and South Sulawesi. In Polewali Mandar, for example, hundreds of chickens have suddenly died.

Dead chickens barred symptoms identical to avian influenza, such as black combs, reddish skin, and foamy discharge from the beaks.

Hasnah, a citizen from Tandro, Mambulilling Polewali, was shocked when her chickens suddenly died. “I was very surprised when my chickens suddenly died. The combs were black, the skin red, and the mouth foaming,” said Hasnah on Monday (18/7/2011).

An officer from the Livestock Service Office of Polewali Mandar, Isnaniah, said the office is intensifying avian influenza mitigation educations in a number of poultry production areas, such as in Binuang, Mapilli, Wonomulyo, and Tinambung subdistricts.

Isnaniah said many people are reporting sudden poultry die-off from several locations, but only two sites have been confirmed positive for avian influenza: Mambulilling administrative village, Polewali subdistrict, and Buku village, Mapilli subdistrict.

Head of the Livestock Service Office of Polewali Mandar, Syaharuddin Haruna, said the virus is suspected to migrate to Polewali through poultry products, such as eggs and broiler chickens, supplied from South Sulawesi, particularly from Sidrap and Pinrang.

Syaharuddin hopes the Provincial Livestock Service Office of West Sulawesi will also help monitor poultry product movement at the borders of Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, and Pinrang, South Sulawesi, to break the chain of avian influenza virus spread from Sidrap and Pinrang, two areas currently suffering from avian influenza outbreaks.
(K25-11|Glori K. Wadrianto)

Source : Kompas