GOVT TO SAFEGUARD WOC FROM FLU

Jakarta, May 4 (ANTARA) - The government will apply a permanent procedure (protap) in managing the A sub type H1N1 influenza to safeguard the World Ocean Conference (WOC) and Corral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit in Manado, a minister said.

"There will be a screening and management process at airports to deal with arriving foreign passengers with symptoms of Mexican Flu or influenza virus A sub type H1N1," Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said here on Monday.

She said arriving foreign passengers suspected of being infected with the A H1N1 virus would be examined at the airport health office (KKP) before being sent to reference hospitals.

"Every suspected foreigner arriving in Indonesia should follow the existing regulations in the country," the health minister said, adding that the government had prepared KKPs, reference hospitals, and health workers to manage the disease.

According to the minister, doctors and health workers at local clinics and hospitals had been given an understanding on the management of infectious diseases, including influenza A H1N1, known previously as swine flu.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said in Manado on Saturday that the government had taken measures to anticipate the outbreak of swine flu in North Sulawesi during the WOC and CTI Summit.

Aburizal Bakrie said the anticipatory steps were taken at the Sam Ratulangi international airport in connection with the WOC conference from May 11-15, 2009.

Aburizal said the central government has prepared a thermo scanner at the airport for WOC participants arriving from around 121 countries.

According to him, the thermo scanner detects the body temperature of people after arriving from abroad to find out whether or not they had the swine flu virus H1N1.

The H1N1 which first attacked Mexico has killed hundreds of people and raised worldwide fear.

Aburizal and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Number arrived here on Friday to make an inspection of the venue of the WOC and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) summit.