SAIL BUNAKEN COMMITTEE NEEDS 10 THERMO SCANNERS

Manado, North Sulawesi, July 24 (ANTARA) - The organizing committee of Sail Bunaken 2009 in Bitung, North Sulawesi, will need 10 thermo scanners to check the potential spread of the H1N1 virus. a local official said.

The procurement of 10 thermo scanners would be proposed to the central government, J Tambunan ME, head of the Bitung communication and informatics office, told the press here on Friday.

According to Tambunan, Bitung will be one of the hosts of Sail Bunaken 2009 activities.

The thermo scanners are expected to help detect H1N1-infected people.

"We will propose to the central government to provide Bitung with thermo scanners to anticipate the entry of H1N1 virus into the area," Tambunan said.

If agreed, the Thermo scanners will be installed especially at Bitung Seaport during the Sail Bunaken event.

Participants of Sail Bunaken will have to pass the thermo scanners before boarding to or leaving the ships.

"Both visitors or marines participating in Sail Bunaken will have to pass the thermo scanners," he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of yacht crew members to participate in "Sail Indonesia" concurrently "Sail Bunaken" were briefed on steps to prevent Influenza A (H1N1) or swine flu in a technical meeting in Darwin, on July 14, 2009.

Indonesian Consul in Darwin Harbangan Napitupulu said in Darwin, Australia, recently that the two members of the swine flu control team set up by Northern Territory (NT) administration especially for "Sail Indonesia/Sail Bunaken" had briefed the crew members.

Some 133 yachts will leave Darwin for Indonesia to join the Sail Bunaken on July 18, 2009.

The technical meeting was held based on the result of a coordinating meeting on swine flu organized by the Indonesian coordinating minister for people's welfare in Jakarta recently.

The Jakarta meeting had requested the Indonesian Consulate in Darwin to approach the Northern Territory administration to take anticipative steps against the H1N1 infection.

The Australian health department said there were at least 9,828 people were infected with H1N1 virus or swine flu, with 19 deaths in Australia.

The "Sail Indonesia"/"Sail Bunaken" 2009 will be participated in by around 160 yachts.