ID :
58450
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 20:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58450
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RI WARNS CITIZENS TRAVELING TO MEXICO
Jakarta, April 30 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has warned people intending to travel to Mexico about the swine flu outbreak in the South American country, following the WHO's decision to raise the intensity of its swine flu alert to level five.
"This morning, the UN.'s World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alert status to level five, meaning that it has become a human-to-human infection. Therefore, the government has issued a travel warning to Indonesian people intending to go to Mexico, but it is not a travel ban," Bayu Krisnamurthi, executive chairman of the National Committee of Bird Flu Control and Preparedness for Influenza Pendemi (Komnas FBPI), said here on Thursday
He said he had coordinated with the foreign affairs ministry which was expected to issue the travel warning on Thursday
The government did not ban a travel to Mexico because of various considerations, including the fact that there was no specific recommendation from WHO to that effect.
"So far, only Peru, Cuba, Ecuador and Argentine have issued a travel ban. Other countries have not yet issued such a policy. It does not mean that we will not apply it, we will first see how the situation develops. If necessary, we may yet issue a travel ban," he said.
In addition to the travel warning, the government will also issue a travel advisory for citizens planning to go to eight swine flu affected-countries, namely the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Israel, Spain, Austria, and Germany.
Indonesia was also conducting intensive communication with WHO and 16 countries suspected of being affected by swine flu, he said.
The government had also intensified surveillance at airports, seaports and border areas to prevent the swine flu virus from entering Indonesia, he said.
The health ministry has opened hot line numbers, namely 0812-80 000 358/0819-790 4919 (for cellular short taxes) and 021-425 7125 (for telephone calls) on swine flu information.
The U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO) has all-but admitted that a pandemic of swine flu is imminent after raising its alert level to five, the second such rise in just three days, foreign media reported .
The alert means confirmation of human-to-human infection
in more than one country and is just one level down from a full pandemic alert.
The agency's Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, said the change in alert was a signal to countries to begin to prepare for a swine flu (H1N1) pandemic.
"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace," she said at a news conference in Geneva.
"This morning, the UN.'s World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alert status to level five, meaning that it has become a human-to-human infection. Therefore, the government has issued a travel warning to Indonesian people intending to go to Mexico, but it is not a travel ban," Bayu Krisnamurthi, executive chairman of the National Committee of Bird Flu Control and Preparedness for Influenza Pendemi (Komnas FBPI), said here on Thursday
He said he had coordinated with the foreign affairs ministry which was expected to issue the travel warning on Thursday
The government did not ban a travel to Mexico because of various considerations, including the fact that there was no specific recommendation from WHO to that effect.
"So far, only Peru, Cuba, Ecuador and Argentine have issued a travel ban. Other countries have not yet issued such a policy. It does not mean that we will not apply it, we will first see how the situation develops. If necessary, we may yet issue a travel ban," he said.
In addition to the travel warning, the government will also issue a travel advisory for citizens planning to go to eight swine flu affected-countries, namely the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Israel, Spain, Austria, and Germany.
Indonesia was also conducting intensive communication with WHO and 16 countries suspected of being affected by swine flu, he said.
The government had also intensified surveillance at airports, seaports and border areas to prevent the swine flu virus from entering Indonesia, he said.
The health ministry has opened hot line numbers, namely 0812-80 000 358/0819-790 4919 (for cellular short taxes) and 021-425 7125 (for telephone calls) on swine flu information.
The U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO) has all-but admitted that a pandemic of swine flu is imminent after raising its alert level to five, the second such rise in just three days, foreign media reported .
The alert means confirmation of human-to-human infection
in more than one country and is just one level down from a full pandemic alert.
The agency's Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, said the change in alert was a signal to countries to begin to prepare for a swine flu (H1N1) pandemic.
"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community that certain actions now should be taken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace," she said at a news conference in Geneva.
