H5N1 - Jakarta slaughters backyard fowl

Jakarta (dpa) - Government authorities slaughtered thousands of chickens and other fowl kept in backyard farms and in cages in the Indonesian capital Jakarta Sunday, in an attempt to stop the spread of bird-flu virus that has killed at least five people in two weeks.

South Jakarta Mayor Syahrul Effendi explained that the culling was part of the government's commitment to free the Indonesian capital from fowl.

Before being slaughtered, more than 10,000 fowl were tested for bird flu. The carcasses of healthy birds were returned to the owners to be eaten or sold, while those of infected birds were burned.

"We will continue with the culling until the end of the month without delay," said Agus Hidayat, a health official at eastern Jakarta mayoralty office. "Depopulation measures will be applied to all non-commercial backyard farms in the capital."

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso had said earlier he was giving city residents until the end of the month to get rid of their backyard chickens, song birds and other fowl before officials launched door-to-door confiscations. Those who comply would receive compensation of about 1 dollar.

In West Java district of Garut, more than 100 chickens were slaughtered and burned following the death on Friday of a 19-year-old woman from H5N1 avian-influenza virus.

Indonesia is the world's worst-affected country by bird flu with 62 human deaths from 80 cases. Vietnam is second with 42 deaths but has not had a fatality in more than a year.

Triggered by rising death toll, the Indonesian government has banned backyard farms in residential areas in nine provinces, placed tight restrictions on the movement and sale of poultry and poultry products, and is preparing more hospitals to treat human cases of the H5N1 avian influenza virus.