Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian officials Thursday began distributing kits containing masks, gloves and bars of soap to fight bird flu in villages across the archipelago nation, they said.
About 100,000 leaders of hamlets will receive the kits in Indonesia, the nation worst hit by the deadly virus with 78 deaths, a senior official said.
The latest death was recorded earlier Thursday, that of a 45-year-old man who had come into contact with infected chickens, the most common way for humans to contract the virus, officials said.
The first Avian Influenza kits were handed out in Tenggulun Timur village, in a high-risk area of West Java, by officials from the national committee charged with trying to halt deaths from the virus.
"These AI kits are a simple way to inform your communities about bird flu," committee chairman Bayu Krisnamurthi was quoted by AFP as telling leaders of the village.
The kits also include a street banner warning against bird flu, two VCDs on the virus, stickers, flyers and a booklet explaining how to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
"This is a chance for everyone to discuss the issue of bird flu and find ways to solve it," he said adding that simple precautions could reduce the risks of contracting the virus.
"The commitment you make today could save many, many lives."
Indonesia stepped up its campaign this year to battle bird flu, banning in the capital Jakarta the popular practice of keeping poultry in backyard homes.
However deaths continue from the virus, which has also killed millions of chickens and other birds.
Experts fear the virus could mutate into a new form that spreads easily between people with the potential to set off a human influenza pandemic.
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