(Correction) BIRD FLU STRIKES 11 SUB DISTRICTS IN BANYUWANGI

Banyuwangi, East Java, Feb. 22 (ANTARA) - Some 932 chickens believed to have caught bird flu, have died in 11 sub districts, in Banyuwangi, East Java, since January 2009.

The 11 bird-flu affected sub districts were Tegalsari, Banyuwangi Kota, Genteng, Purwoharjo, Pesanggaran, Kalibaru, Gambiran, Glagah, Kabat, Giri, and Kalipuro, Satriyo Ariwibawa, head of the Banyuwangi animal health service, said here recently.
Farmers whose chicken had died suddenly, immediately reported the deaths to local authorities, but unfortunately the farmers still had the habit of throwing dead chickens to a nearby river, he said.
He expressed his concern that Banyuwangi did not have a chicken abattoir. Bird flu outbreak could spread widely because farmers usually threw chickens' waste into rivers, he said.
Meanwhile, bird flu or Avian Influenza (AI) outbreaks recently killed hundreds of poultry in four sub districts in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Province.
Rapid tests conducted on some dead poultry in Bambanglipuro, Jetis, Piyungan and Bantul sub districts positively indicated that the animals had died because of the AI virus.
There were 71 bird flu cases in 2007 and 32 cases in 2008 in Bantul.
Meanwhile, some 133 chickens believed to have caught bird flu were culled at a hamlet in Bali's Badung district early February. The measure was taken after tens of chickens belonging to Sibang residents died suddenly.