Indonesia culls ducks to stop bird flu

JAKARTA - Indonesian Agriculture ministry has culled 112,000 ducks for having new strain of bird flu viruses in the country, official said on Monday.

Director of Animal Health of Agriculture Ministry Pudjatmoko said that the virus was categorized as clad of 2.1.

"Until now, we have culled 112,000 ducks in the country," he was quoted by inilah.com, one of leading portals in the country.

The Indonesian government plans to take measures to prevent the spread of the new strain of avian influenza virus, which is more virulent.

The step was taken following the finding of the new clad of H5N1 virus after the death of over 320,000 ducks in some provinces in Java island was reported since November.

Indonesia has been investigating the origin of the new clad, which is very different from the clad of H5N1 virus found in recent years.

The agriculture ministry said that the cause of the emerge of the news strain may be drift mutation or genetic shift from the previous viruses or importation of poultry from overseas.

Indonesia has been hit hardest by bird flu since 2003, the virus has killed 160 people out of 192 cases since 2005, according to health ministry.

But, so far the new strain of H5N1 virus on ducks has not caused human fatality, the ministry said.