NO H1N1 VIRUS IN INDONESIA : MEDICAL RESEARCHER

Denpasar, Bali, May 8 (ANTARA) - The H1N1 swine flu virus which broke out and is transmitted from man to man in Mexico has so far not been found in Indonesia, Dr I Gusti Ngurah Mahardika, chief of Udayana Unversity's laboratory, said.

"Based on data available until now, no virus of this kind from pigs has been found in Indonesia," he said here on Friday.

However, he said, there was a big potential for the dangerous virus to enter the country through people's traffic.

Mahardika suggested that the government focus its supervision on the people's traffic and implement fast and accurate diagnosing procedures.

Research institutions are also called on to carry out intensive surveillance to monitor virus with pigs.

According to the Word Health Organization on April 26, the swine flu epidemic in Mexico had killed 81 people after suffering from acute pneumonia.

In anticipation of the spreading of the swine flu in Jakarta, the Livestock and Fish Health Institute of the Jakarta Livestock, Fishery, and Marine Affairs Agency has examined 546 pigs at the slaughter houses.

Head of the laboratory Section of the Livestock and Fish Health Institute Resmiati said on Monday that in the last three days, the institute had examined 546 of the total of 851 pigs at the slaughter houses in Jakarta to find out if the animals were carrying the swine flu virus.

"Right now the blood samples of the animals are still undergoing laboratory examination," she said.

She also said up till now she did not find any pig in Jakarta carrying the swine flu virus, the examination had to be done.