Bird flu outbreak serious threat, says senior minister

"The death toll of the bird flu disease (in this country) is relatively small, namely 85 out of the total 106 human cases, if we compare it to TBC disease which has claimed thousands of lives," Minister Bakrie said at Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday when officially opening the Government of Indonesia?s Meeting With International Key Partners on Avian Influenza.

However, he said that the bird flu disease has affected the social and economic sectors enormously,

Thousands of poultry, mostly chicken, had died of the disease and many others had to be killed to prevent the spread of the Avian Influenza virus to wider areas, he said. Millions of US dollars had been spent for preventive measures and containment efforts, he said.

Indonesia has conducted various efforts and breakthrough to deal with the deadly disease, including through cooperation with other countries and international organizations, the minister said.

"We have instructed the Agriculture Minister and local administrations to move rapidly and accurately in containing and dealing with the bird flu disease," Coordinating Minister Aburizal Bakrie, who is concurrently chairman of the National Committee of Birth Flu Control and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness.