Best of our wild blogs: 4 Feb 16

Join us for our annual Battle of Pasir Panjang Commemorative Walk, Sat 13 Feb 2016: 7.00am – 12.00pm
Otterman speaks

Read more!

3 of 4 Singaporeans support laws to reduce shark fin consumption: WWF survey

In a survey by the World Wide Fund for Nature, more than half of the respondents said they ate less shark fin in the past 12 months, and most thought a shark fin soup alternative would be acceptable at banquets.
Channel NewsAsia 3 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE: Three out of four consumers in Singapore think the Government is not doing enough to protect sharks, and would support legislation against shark fin consumption, according to the results of a survey by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released on Wednesday (Feb 3).

Most respondents – 82 per cent – said they did not consume any shark or ray meat in the last year. For those who did, 74 per cent of them had shark fin soup at wedding banquets. But more than 80 per cent said an alternative to shark fin would be acceptable, with the majority opting for double-boiled or braised seafood soup as substitutes.

The survey, which polled 504 people, found that most people who reduced their consumption of shark fin did so because of an increase in awareness of shark protection.

More than three-quarters of respondents also said they would pay more for seafood that is responsibly sourced, although 55 per cent said only if it was a "small increase".

A BAN ON SHARK FIN?

According to the wildlife protection group, around 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins.

"In the absence of sustainably managed shark fisheries, the demand for shark fin is putting many shark species under extreme pressure with shark populations unable to replenish at the same rate they are caught and finned," it said.

Ms Elaine Tan, CEO of WWF Singapore, said there has however been a cultural change, and that the preservation of ocean resources and the conservation of sharks are becoming more important to the majority of the public than the traditional value of shark fin soup.

"It is time for business to step up and match the public’s expectations, stop selling shark fin and support sustainable seafood," she added.

Regional Director of the Asia-Pacific at NGO Shark Savers Jonn Lu said the stage was set for legal action: "The Singapore public are already educated on this issue and ready to support policymakers in applying legal controls on the consumption of shark fin, progressing towards a ban on the trade of shark fin here."

Within the region, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong have already imposed banqueting bans preventing shark fin being served at official functions, while Brunei was the first country in 2013 to ban the catch and landing of all shark species in its national waters as well as banning the domestic and international trade in shark fin, WWF said in the release.

- CNA/mz


3 in 4 S’poreans would back law to reduce shark’s fin consumption: WWF survey
KELLY NG Today Online 3 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE — Three in four people here, or 76 per cent, think the Government is not doing enough to protect sharks, and they are also willing to back legislation to reduce consumption and trade of shark’s fin, a survey by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore) has found.

Of the 504 Singaporeans polled, 82 per cent said they have not consumed shark or ray products in the last 12 months. The poll was conducted over five weeks in October and November.

Among those who have, 57 per cent are male, and 54 per cent are between 35 and 50 years old. Almost nine in 10 of these consumers are Chinese and have cited “gathering and celebration” as their top reason for eating shark’s fin soup.

Nevertheless, 82 per cent of the respondents find double-boiled or braised seafood soup “acceptable” alternatives at wedding banquets.

WWF-Singapore chief executive officer Elaine Tan said the Republic is experiencing a “clear cultural change” where the preservation of oceanic resources is becoming more important than the traditional value of shark’s fin.

“It is time for businesses to step up and match the public’s expectations, stop selling shark’s fin and support sustainable seafood,” she said.

Several hotels approached by TODAY have taken shark’s fin soup off their menus two to three years ago, but some still offer the dish upon request. The Millennium and Copthorne International chain of hotels, for instance, have taken shark’s fin soup off banquet menus since 2014, but still offer it in restaurants.

Its regional F&B director Andy Wong said: “We serve it in banquets only if guests insist. We are exploring different alternatives, such as fish maw and seafood soup, to offer guests items with similar health benefits.”

A spokesperson for Riverview Hotel, which offers wedding banquet packages both with and without shark’s fin soup, said the latter is most popular among young couples in their late 20s and early 30s.

Luxury resort Capella Singapore has instituted a “no shark’s fin” policy across its restaurants since 2013, as “the whole process of (finning) was not right for us”, said general manager Alexandro Helbling.

Scientists estimate that around 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins, in a process many see as brutal and wasteful, because the finless sharks are often thrown overboard and left to die.

The number of shark species and shark-related species considered threatened has soared 12-fold from 15 in 1996 to over 180 in 2010.

The Singapore Government can take the lead in reducing shark’s fin consumption by prohibiting it from dishes served at official functions, said WWF-Singapore communications director Kim Stengert.

Shark Savers regional director John Lu said the survey results show that the public is educated on this issue. “The stage is set for legal action. The Singapore public is ... ready to support policymakers in applying legal controls on the consumption of shark’s fin, progressing towards a ban in the trade of shark’s fin here,” he said.

In June 2013, Brunei became the first Asian country to ban shark finning in national waters, as well as the sale, trade and import of shark’s fin products.

Three months later, Hong Kong, then the world’s largest trade hub for shark’s fin, said it would no longer allow the dish to be served at official functions. Countries, such as China and Malaysia, have also followed suit.

Read more!

NEA volunteers may be empowered to issue summonses to litterbugs

Those Channel NewsAsia spoke to say that is one initiative that may result from proposed changes to the National Environment Agency Miscellaneous Amendments Bill.
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia 4 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE: New legislation may soon empower volunteers to issue summonses to litterbugs. Those Channel NewsAsia spoke to said that is one initiative that may result from proposed changes to the National Environment Agency Miscellaneous Amendments Bill.

Currently, a scheme trains National Environment Agency (NEA) Community Volunteers to be the eyes and ears on the ground to spot litterbugs. They are allowed to take down the particulars of offenders and then pass them to the authorities for enforcement. Only individuals affiliated with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are eligible for the programme.

There are about 250 or so volunteers under this scheme and grassroots leader Ng Hak Hai is one of them.

When Mr Ng spots a litterbug, he will approach the offender and tell him to bin it. "We tell them that we are an NEA Community Volunteer and then we tell them, 'Maybe you have forgotten, you have left something (behind), so please pick it up - the rubbish bin is there',” said Mr Ng, who is also a member of the Singapore Kindness Movement.

Proposed changes to the law will allow NEA to appoint volunteers as auxiliary officers, tasked to carry out enforcement actions.

“In order to carry out enforcement, they must be given certain authority, certain power, such as if they were to catch the litterbug on the spot, then they will be able to take action and issue summons,” said Ms Lee Bee Wah, chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Environment and Water Resources.

Some volunteers said empowering them to carry out enforcement action makes sense because NEA officers cannot be everywhere. But they said volunteers must be adequately trained to carry out such a role.

"If these volunteers are properly trained, they know how to approach these residents, then I think that will reduce any conflict. Things will happen only if you approach them with the wrong attitude. Then they will find that you are trying to be funny, then things get into a different mode - they will get very defensive,” said Mr Ng.

"On-the-job training with the actual NEA officers would be great. Perhaps it could be the other way round as well, where the enforcement officer sees how a volunteer performs on the job and assesses whether he or she is suitable for the role,” said NEA Community Volunteer Sharmine Tan.

IS ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT EFFECTIVE?

Enhanced enforcement has seen the number of summonses issued to litterbugs increasing over the years - from 19,000 in 2014, to more than 26,000 last year. Most were caught discarding items like cigarette butts, tissue paper and plastic cups inappropriately.

A survey by NEA in 2010 also showed that a third of Singaporeans would litter, if they think they can get away with it. But many said there would be no need for enforcement if Singaporeans take ownership of their environment.

At last year's Committee of Supply Debate, then Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the idea is to accord these volunteers similar status and authority as an NEA officer. They will undergo the same training as a card-carrying NEA officer and be allowed to gather evidence and carry out enforcement actions, if necessary.

Details on the amendments to the legislation are expected to be unveiled at the next Parliament sitting.

According to those Channel NewsAsia spoke to, other changes to the Bill could include allowing individuals not affiliated with NGOs to sign up as volunteers and expanding the work of volunteers to also cover anti-smoking operations.

- CNA/dl

Read more!

Bags containing critically endangered animals abandoned at Night Safari

Today Online 3 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE — Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) today (Feb 3) urged the public not to buy illegal pets, saying that it receives “hundreds of illegal pets” every year, some of them left on its doorstep.

In a Facebook post today, WRS, which manages the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park, said bags containing caged animals were abandoned at the Night Safari service gate recently. Sharing pictures on the page, it said the animals include prairie dogs, marmosets and cotton-top tamarins, which are critically endangered.

“They were probably meant for the illegal-pet trade, but something must have gone wrong and the perpetrators decided to dump the animals. Each year, hundreds of illegal pets arrive on our doorstep in this manner or as confiscations,” WRS said.

Noting it was a challenge for the parks to take in all the animals given “limited space and resources”, WRS said: “You can help by simply not buying illegal pets. If there is no demand, poaching will stop.”

According to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), there were 26 cases involving illegal pets — such as illegal imports, and illegal possession and sales — as of Dec 21 last year.

It is an offence to import and export or re-export any animal without a permit from AVA. It is also an offence for any person to have in possession, or to sell or advertise, any wildlife and its parts or products, which have been illegally imported or acquired. Penalties include fines of up to S$50,000 per animal — not exceeding an aggregate of S$500,000 — or a jail term of up to two years, or both.

From 2013 to December last year, the AVA successfully prosecuted nine individuals involved in the illegal import or transhipment of a variety of wildlife species and parts such as rhinoceros horns, elephant ivory, marine turtle scutes and black pond turtles. Offenders were accorded fines of up to S$10,000 and a jail term of up to 16 months.


Endangered animals found abandoned at Night Safari
Caged animals, including prairie dogs, marmosets and cotton-top tamarins - which are critically endangered, were abandoned outside the Night Safari service gate recently, according to Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
Channel NewsAsia 3 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE: Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) posted a reminder to members of the public on Wednesday (Feb 3) to stop buying illegal pets, after bags containing caged animals were abandoned outside the Night Safari service gate.

In a post on their Facebook page, WRS said that the animals, which were abandoned recently, included cotton-top tamarins - which are critically endangered, prairie dogs and marmosets.

“They were probably meant for the illegal pet trade but something must have gone wrong and the perpetrators decided to dump the animals,” said the holding company of Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo.

Noting that hundreds of illegal pets arrive at their doorstep every year, WRS said it is “a challenge for them to absorb all into our collection, given the limited space and resources we have”.

“You can help by simply not buying illegal pets. If there is no demand, poaching will stop.”

- CNA/ek

Read more!

21 food retailers allowed to sell raw fish dishes using saltwater fish

Today Online 3 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE — Twenty-one foodstalls and caterers have been given permission to sell ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish and six more applications are being processed, said Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor today (Feb 3)

“These licensees have applied to use raw salmon from certified sources for these (ready-to-eat) raw fish dishes. Another six licensees have submitted their applications, and we are working to let these applicants know the status of their applications by Feb 5,” she said in an update on her Facebook page.

Last December, the authorities imposed a ban on the use of freshwater fish in all ready-to-eat raw fish dishes, after tests by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) showed that freshwater fish have “significantly higher” bacterial contamination than saltwater fish, and are likely to present higher risks of infection.

Following the ban, food stalls in hawker centres, coffeeshops, canteens and food courts, as well as food establishments providing catering services were also required to stop the sale of all ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish until they could comply with the practices required for such dishes.

In her post, Dr Khor also said that the AVA has also been engaging suppliers to ensure that they have sufficient capacity to bring in more saltwater fish to be used for such dishes in the lead up to the Chinese New Year.

For a list of retail food establishments which have been given the NEA’s approval, check the NEA website (https://eservices.nea.gov.sg/TR/) or the myENV mobile application.


Stall owners selling raw fish put additional food safety measures in place
Some of the 21 stall owners and caterers that have been approved to sell ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish have put in place additional food safety measures, on top of the requirements by the National Environment Agency (NEA).
Channel NewsAsia 4 Feb 16;

SINGAPORE: Some of the 21 stall owners and caterers that have been approved to sell ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish have put in place additional food safety measures, on top of the requirements by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

One of them, Ah Chiang Porridge's owner Mr Chin Koon Bin, monitors his workers on a closed-circuit television camera while they work in the kitchen, so he can check on their food handling practices.

"Though I have told my guys verbally how they should handle the fishes, but when it comes to practical (execution), definitely there will be some differences. So through this camera surveillance, I can see if they have made any mistakes, (and if they) followed the steps that the company requires them to do," said Mr Chin.

Another hawker, Ms Leong Soo Mei, has bought a new chiller and makes sure the workers wear gloves when handling food. She said she has spent about S$5,000 to improve the stall.

Meanwhile, some stallholders also said NEA has done frequent checks since their application to sell ready-to-eat raw fish dishes was approved.

But even with these measures, some consumers told Channel NewsAsia that they still plan to avoid eating raw fish dishes this Chinese New Year, with some saying that they are still fearful about eating such dishes.

- CNA/dl

Read more!

Malaysia: Strong winds, rough seas expected in Kelantan and Terengganu

The Star 4 Feb 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Strong north-easterly winds with speed of between 50 and 60km per hour, causing waves as high as 4.5 metres, is expected in waters off Kelantan and Terengganu from Thursday until next Tuesday.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, such a weather condition is dangerous to all shipping and beach activities, including fishing and ferry service.

In a statement issued here Thursday, the department said the coastal areas in Kelantan and Terengganu would also be exposed to the high tide phenomenon.

Meanwhile, strong north-easterly winds of 40-50kmph with waves as high as 3.5 metres is expected in waters off Pahang, East Johor, Sarawak, Labuan and Sabah (Pedalaman, Pantai Barat and Kudat).

The weather condition, which is dangerous to small boats, sea recreation and water sports, is expected to persist until Tuesday.

"The coastal areas in Pahang and East Johor is also exposed to the high tide phenomenon," it stated. - Bernama

Read more!

Malaysia: PM instructs take preventive measures against Zika virus and dengue fever

The Star 3 Feb 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has instructed the Health Ministry to take preventive measures against dengue fever and Zika virus.

He also wanted all parties, including government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the people in general, to join hands in eradicating Aedes mosquitoes, the agent of infection for both diseases.

"I am aware of the dengue situation in several areas in the country and also the concerns of the public regarding the alarming spread of Zika virus in many areas in America," he said in the latest posting in his blog, NajibRazak.com.

Najib said more rigorous monitoring was needed, as Malaysia’s hot weather was very conducive for the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

"We need to prevent and destroy the source or vector of both diseases, that is Aedes mosquitoes. Do not give them any room to breed," he said.

Following the spread of Zika virus, the World Health Organisation has declared it to be a Public Health Emergency Of International Concern (PHEIC). – Bernama

No Zika cases so far: Subra
FAZLEENA AZIZ New Straits Times 3 Feb 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has not recorded any cases of the Zika virus so far but continuous preventive measures and methods are being taken by the Health Ministry, said its minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

As of February 2, a total of 293 blood samples from patients with dengue symptoms, who tested negative for the disease were tested for Zika but results also came out negative, Dr Subramaniam said.

He said the National Public Health Lab (MKAK) and Institute of Medical Research (IMR) are monitoring the virus through continuous surveillance.

“Malaysia has the capacity to diagnose the Zika virus at the research labs but treatment is symptomatic. “The main problem associated with Zika is the development of ‘Microcephaly’ among pregnant women, who have children with small heads, and we do not have a drug to stop it…so this is an unfortunate aspect.

“Another problem that has been reported is the inflammation of the nerves that cause paralysis to the legs and arms as well as the respiratory system but management is symptomatic,” he said in a press conference today.

He added the ministry was also trying to develop diagnostics on suspected Zika cases at major medical facilities apart from the IMR.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak instructed the ministry to take preventive measures to protect the people from dengue fever and the Zika virus.

He also wanted all parties, including government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the people in general, to join hands in combating the Aedes mosquito which is the agent of infection for both diseases.

The World Health Organisation has declared the Zika virus infection as a public health emergency of international concern.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito that is also a carrier of the dengue virus.

Subra: It’s now more vital to get rid of mosquito breeding grounds
MAZWIN NIK ANIS The Star 4 Feb 16;

PUTRAJAYA: It’s now more important than ever for people to rid their surrounding areas of mosquito breeding grounds to prevent the spread of dengue fever and the Zika virus, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam.

This would be the most effective way to curb the spread of the two diseases. However, while there were concerns over the spread of the Zika virus, he said Malaysia now faced the more serious problem of dengue fever.

“What the public should know is that dengue is the more serious problem here and efforts must be made to control it. If we can do this, then we can also control and prevent the Zika virus from spreading here. This is because the virus is also spread through the Aedes mosquito,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Nevertheless, he assured Malay­sians that the health authorities were able to handle the related medical cases as well as patients.

Among the preparations were the setting up of a clinical surveillance system dedicated to the Zika virus at hospitals and clinics, ensuring that laboratories were always ready to conduct tests and to monitor microcephaly in reported cases.

He said the Malaysian authorities had the capacity and facilities to diagnose and manage the disease.

“The main concern is whether the virus causes microcephaly or abnormal smallness of the head, a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development of the foetus. Unfortunately, there are no drugs to stop this,” said Dr Subramaniam.

He said the state and district health offices had been directed to ensure that preventive measures were in place, while the authorities at entry points were to monitor suspected patients through thermal scanners, similarly used to detect H1N1 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

“It is important for the public, especially those who have been to countries where the Zika virus is reported, to seek medical attention should they have fever, body ache, rashes and conjunctivitis. Go to a doctor even with the slightest health concern because in most cases, the disease doesn’t manifest with fever,” he added.

According to the health authorities, 80% of those infected with the Zika virus do not show any symptoms, not even fever.

Dr Subramaniam said that although the World Health Organi­zation did not issue travel restrictions, the health authorities felt that it was necessary to advise the public to postpone their travels to countries where the Zika virus had been reported.

To a question, he said the ministry’s policy on abortion was that if a pregnancy had serious effects on the mother’s life, the doctor could suggest an abortion.

“This policy hasn’t changed. We are more inclined towards looking at how to prevent the Zika virus. Abortion is a tricky and sensitive issue which involves other matters apart from medicine,” he res­ponded when asked if the Government would change the law on abortion in light of the Zika virus.

Read more!

Indonesia and US join forces to police the seas

Johnny Langenheim The Guardian 3 Feb 16;

President Joko Widodo’s plan to establish Indonesia as a ‘global maritime axis’ took a step forward last week as US ambassador Robert Blake announced a partnership programme to help improve marine law enforcement and sustainable fisheries management in the world’s largest archipelagic nation.

According to the World Bank, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) costs an estimated $20 billion in lost revenue annually. Around a quarter of these losses occur in Indonesia, whose fishing industry is second only to China in size.

2015 saw Indonesia launch a high profile ‘war’ on IUUF, as charismatic new Marine Affairs & Fisheries minister, Susi Pudjiastuti set about sending a strong message to Indonesia’s neighbours, by very publicly blowing up vessels caught fishing illegally and arresting their crews. Since she took office in October 2014, 157 boats have been seized and 113 sunk, while 15 companies have lost their business permits. Pudjiastuti has also banned transshipment at sea and restricted the area open to commercial fishing.

The hard line approach has proved popular with the Indonesian public and the media, but it’s more than just clever PR. Pudjiastuti – a businesswoman whose divorcee status, tattoos and smoking habit single her out from many of her cabinet colleagues – is achieving tangible progress. In the last quarter of 2015, Indonesia’s fisheries sector grew by 8.37%, almost double the country’s overall economic growth in the same period.

The increased cooperation between Indonesia and the US follows President Widodo’s visit to Washington in October last year, when he and President Obama signed a Maritime Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve security, economic viability and conservation within the sector.

Conservation is a crucial part of the equation in a country that lies at the heart of the Coral Triangle bioregion, home to 60% of the world’s reef-building corals – vital habitats and spawning grounds for commercially important fish species. According to the World Bank, fully two-thirds of Indonesia’s reefs are currently threatened by overfishing.

In December 2015, the US government’s development agency USAID committed $33 million over five years to help protect marine resources and improve the sustainability of Indonesia’s fishing industry. Over the last decade or so, the overall area of the country’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has more than tripled to 157,000 sq km and is intended to reach 200,000 sq km by 2020.

All of this is positive news for one of the world’s biggest fisheries, but establishing MPAs is only half the story of course. Surveys suggest that many of Indonesia’s marine parks are lacking the robust management and enforcement that they need. US environmental charity Conservation International recently carried out an in depth assessment of the Natuna Islands, a remote archipelago west of Borneo. Scientists were shocked to discover that conditions were actually worse within the MPA than outside it.

The indications are that Indonesia will continue its zero-tolerance policy on IUUF in 2016, even bypassing the sometimes lengthy judicial process and allowing coast guard and navy to sink trespassing vessels immediately. So far, the policies haven’t led to the diplomatic problems that many predicted and they should in theory reduce pressure on the all-important MPAs.

But the parks themselves need to be managed in a dynamic, collaborative way, engaging local people in enterprises like ecotourism, sustainable aquaculture, conservation and enforcement. Making marine parks economically viable gives communities a real stake in their success.

Read more!

Indonesia: Greater Jakarta on high alert for dengue fever

Agnes Anya, The Jakarta Post 3 Feb 16;

Following an “extraordinary situation” in Tangerang regency, where 13 people died of dengue fever in January alone, Greater Jakarta is on high alert for the disease.

Jakarta and South Tangerang have reported an increase in dengue cases, 38 percent and 11.34 percent, respectively.

Ni Wayan Manik Kusmayoni, disease control and environmental health (P2PL) division head of the Tangerang Health Agency, said that by the end of January, the regency had seen 270 residents infected with dengue fever, 13 of whom died from the disease.

“Compared to a similar report in the same month last year, the number of cases has jumped by twofold by January. We have set an extraordinary situation status for dengue fever,” Manik told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Manik said the situation had been predicted as records showed that the regency had been seeing a significant increase in dengue fever cases every three years.

She said the last significant jump of dengue fever cases was recorded in 2013. Manik, however, did not recall the total case number in that period. Aware of the three-year cycle, she said, the agency had taken preventive measures to reduce infection cases. She could not explain the reason behind the cycle.

She said the agency had distributed circulars to community health centers (Puskesmas) and neighborhood administrations in the region so they could prepare for the rainy season, during which dengue fever cases mostly occurred.

Manik said that the agency had been disseminating information to other parties, including Muslim preachers.

“We hope these religious leaders explain to others the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy environment during the rainy season,” Manik added.

South Tangerang Health Agency P2PL division head Tulus Muladiyono said that the region had yet to declare an extraordinary status over the outbreak. However, he said the city had seen an increase in infection cases.

Tulus said that by the end of January, the city had seen 108 cases of dengue fever, 11.34 percent higher compared to the same period last year, when 97 residents were infected.

Tulus went on to say that from 108 residents infected this year, two patients died. His agency had also distributed free Abate powder to residents.

Similar to Tangerang regency, Tulus claimed that South Tangerang had a five-year dengue fever cycle, with the last significant increase in dengue patients seen in 2011.

Jakarta Health Agency head Koesmedi Priharto said that Jakarta had yet to set an extraordinary status for dengue fever although it had been on alert due to a high increase in dengue fever cases.

Koesmedi explained that early this year, the agency had seen 611 cases of dengue fever, an increase from 443 cases in 2015.

He said that Jakarta had not experienced a regular cycle for dengue because he believed infections only occurred because of lacksadaical mosquito monitoring measures.

Unlike the three other regions, Tangerang city saw a decrease in dengue infections, said Tangerang Health Agency head Rostiwi. She said that by the end of January, Tangerang city had seen 20 cases, a decrease from the 25 cases recorded in the same month of last year.


Dengue fever cases on the rise in Gorontalo
The Jakarta Post 3 Feb 16;

Islands in focus: Third body found after landslide
Cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Gorontalo city are continuing to rise, with at least three people, two children and an adult woman, succumbing to the disease in January this year.

“The dead woman was a young housewife in Huangobotu subdistrict, the third victim to die in January,” Gorontalo Health Agency environmental health division head Dr. Yana Suleman said on Tuesday.

The latest victim was rushed to Aloei Saboe Regional Hospital, where she died less than 24 hours later. The area in which the deceased lived, Yana said, had in fact been fumigated earlier by city health officers.

“This can serve as a lesson for other residents that even with fumigation, environmental hygiene must be maintained,” said Yana.

In January, she added, at least 130 dengue cases had been recorded, with the mosquito-borne disease spreading to 27 of the city’s 50 subdistricts.

Toddler dies of dengue in C. Sulawesi
Antara 4 Feb 16;

Palu (ANTARA News) - A ten-month-old toddler from Sigi District in Central Sulawesi has died of dengue fever at the Undata General Hospital, according to the hospitals spokesperson, Dr Purwaningsih.

"One patient of dengue, a toddler aged ten months from Palopo sub-district, died on January 13, 2016, at the Undata hospital," Purwaningsih remarked here on Thursday.

She noted that the toddler died of dengue fever a day after being admitted to the hospital.

According to Purwaningsih, some 26 dengue patients were treated at the hospital from January until February, and four other patients are still in the hospital.

Despite the government having urged people in various provinces to be wary of dengue fever, a viral disease caused by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, the number of cases continues to soar in several Indonesian regions.

Dengue cases in Indonesia, a tropical country with a fast-growing population, increase from time to time, in spite of the struggle to win the battle against the disease during the rainy season this year.

Since January 2016, dengue cases were reported to have occurred in the provinces of Central Java, West Java, Bali, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, and Banten, among other places.

In Gunung Kidul district, the Special Region of Yogyakarta, the number of dengue fever cases continues to rise, and the figure has now reached 71.

Gunung Kidul Health Office Chief Agus Prihastoro remarked on Tuesday that the number of dengue cases since January 2016 has increased two-fold as compared to only 24 cases recorded in December 2015.

In the meantime, Central Java Health Office is focusing on reducing and preventing the number of cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever, which tends to increase during every rainy season.

"For prevention, we are trying to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds by burying, draining, and hoarding the scrap items that can retain water since fogging is now no longer able to eradicate mosquito larvae," Central Java Health Office Chief Yulianto Prabowo remarked in Semarang on Monday.

According to Prabowo, dengue fever usually peaks in January and February when the cases spread almost evenly in other areas.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Read more!

Indonesia: Ministry admits government can do little about Zika virus

Hans Nicholas Jong and Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post 3 Feb 16;

The government was unable to do much to anticipate the spread of the Zika virus, Health Ministry secretary-general Untung Suseno Sutarjo acknowledged on Tuesday, as the virus was hard to detect and its symptoms similar to those of other mosquito-borne viruses.

Responding to the WHO declaration of a global emergency over the explosive spread of Zika in Geneva a day earlier, Untung advised Indonesians to be cautious regarding the disease, including by refraining from visiting Zika-affected areas.

“We are telling people to be cautious as a preventive measure. What else can we do? After all, there is no medicine available,” Untung said.

He added that it was also hard to detect people who had been infected by the virus.

“We don’t know whether people are sick with the virus, because the symptoms are usually mild,” the official said.

Citing the ministry data, Untung said of five Indonesians known to have contracted the virus, only one of them had fallen sick with a fever, with the other four showing no symptoms whatsoever.

As with efforts to prevent dengue fever, Untung advised people to use mosquito nets while sleeping and to apply mosquito repellent.

“If someone goes to a region [where the virus has spread], that person must report if they fall sick after returning home,” he said.

Indonesia has a history of Zika infections dating back to 1981. According to several studies, Zika was found in Indonesia in 1981 and in 2005, Untung said.

The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology warned in a recent report that the virus had been spreading for some time. A Zika infection was found among 103 dengue specimens that the institute took during an outbreak in Jambi between December 2014 and April 2015.

The fast-spreading Zika virus is likely being under-diagnosed in Southeast Asia, infectious disease experts have warned in several reports, including one regarding an Australian who was infected after being bitten by a monkey in Bali.

A report last year into the case of a 27-year-old Australian man proposed that a monkey bite he had received at the Ubud Monkey Forest could have been to blame for his subsequent Zika infection.
The man was diagnosed with acute Zika virus after arriving at the Royal Darwin Hospital with a fever and a rash seven days after the bite, the report stated. He had also been bitten by mosquitoes while holidaying in Bali.

The authors of the report, including doctors from the hospital and academics from the Victorian Diseases Reference Laboratory and the Menzies School of Health Research, wrote that while mosquito-borne transmission was possible, the monkey was also a plausible route of transmission.

Commenting on the report, Untung said that he had never heard of it. “Where did that story come from? That’s nonsense. Who is spreading this fraudulent conjecture? The carrier [of the virus] is mosquitoes, not monkey bites,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed Health Minister Nila Moeloek to pay attention to and be cautious of the Zika virus.

“Although it has yet to occur here, it needs to be kept an eye on,” presidential spokesman Johan Budi said on Tuesday.

Government intensifies research on Zika virus
Hans Nicholas Jong, The Jakarta Post 2 Feb 16;

The government is stepping up its research on the Zika virus, which has been suspected of causing a rare birth defect, in light of its possible spread in Indonesia.

The Health Ministry’s research and development agency said on Monday that it would trace back all samples of the virus, which produces symptoms similar to dengue fever, following its discovery in Jambi last year.

“We will try to check again because this has become an international concern,” Pretty Multihartina, head of the biomedical and technology department at the research and development agency, told The Jakarta Post.

The Zika virus was detected in Jambi during a dengue fever outbreak that hit the province from December 2014 to April 2015, said Eijkman Biological Molecular Institute deputy director Herawati Sudoyo.

After taking blood samples from patients, the institute noticed that many of the samples were not positive for dengue fever, and carried out further research. It was subsequently found that one of the samples was infected with the Zika virus.

The sample came from a 27-year-old man who sought treatment at the Jambi city hospital two days after being struck with a sudden high fever, headache, elbow and knee arthralgia, myalgia and malaise.

However, the patient recovered without any complications, two days after receiving treatment.

The institute also found that the man had never traveled abroad.

“The isolation and characterization of ZIKV [Zika virus] from a resident with no travel history confirm that the virus is circulating in Indonesia and that, by mimicking a mild dengue infection, this infection is likely contributing to the large number of undiagnosed cases of acute febrile illness,” a report from the institute, published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, said.

The report suspected the incidences of the Zika virus in Indonesia had been underestimated.

“Although reported human cases of ZIKV infection have been rare in Southeast Asia, confusion with dengue and difficulty in obtaining a laboratory diagnosis are likely causing its incidence to be underestimated,” the report said.

“Surveillance must be implemented to evaluate and monitor the distribution of ZIKV and the potential public health problems it may cause in Indonesia.”

Four out of five people with the Zika virus have no symptoms, according to the WHO. Those who do become ill typically have mild symptoms, such as a low fever, rash, joint pain, pink eye and headaches.

These characteristics have prompted senior health experts to predict the Zika virus could become a bigger threat than the Ebola epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people in Africa. They described it as a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals — pregnant women — that can be associated with a horrible outcome for their babies.

Pretty said the ministry had not been able to answer how the man in Jambi was infected with the virus when he had never traveled abroad.

“There are many possibilities,” she said. “There’s a possibility that we already had Zika [for a long time] but it hasn’t caused any deaths and thus is underestimated.”

Pretty added that the virus might also come from foreigners traveling to Indonesia. “Foreign tourists like to venture into remote areas [in Indonesia],” she said.

Herawati said the Eijkman institute had not found any other cases of Zika as of Monday.

“But we will dig deeper [into the case in Jambi]. We will examine [the sample] again,” she told the Post on Monday. If there’s another dengue fever outbreak, then we might get another sample [of Zika].”

The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947, but until last year, when it was found in Brazil, it had never been a threat in the western hemisphere.

An emergency WHO committee met on Monday to advise on the response to the Zika virus, as the number of infected people continues to soar.

The committee will decide whether to designate the mosquito-borne virus — which has been linked to serious birth defects — a global emergency meriting immediate coordinated international action, amid criticism that it has been too slow to act.


Govt ready and able to deal with Zika
Ina Parlina and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani, The Jakarta Post 4 Feb 16;

Although there have been no recent cases of the Zika virus in the country following the recent WHO emergency status alert over the dengue-like Zika virus, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo instructed on Wednesday relevant officials to prepare joint efforts to prevent the virus from spreading in the country.

Jokowi summoned a number of relevant ministers for a limited Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, during which he ordered them to take a number of measures, including early detection steps, public campaigns to raise awareness on the importance on eliminating mosquito breeding grounds and quick response once the virus was detected in the country.

“We should alert our citizens who plan on visiting countries where the Zika virus has been detected; [we need] to also monitor the entry points [across the country],” Jokowi said.

Following the meeting, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani issued a statement saying that the government was prepared to deal with the spread of the virus, dismissing an earlier claim made by a Health Ministry official that the government was unable to take anticipatory measures since Zika was difficult to detect and had similar symptoms to those of other mosquito-borne viruses.

“[We] also urge people to not panic and, at the same time, maintain hygiene and sanitation, and to take measures to prevent potential areas, [for example] puddles, sewers and toilets, from becoming the breeding grounds of the mosquito,” Puan said, adding that the government would also call on all schools to partake in the campaign.

“We indeed hope for participation from all elements of the public,” she said.

Health Minister Nila Moeloek said the government would impose a travel advisory for Indonesian citizens who wanted to visit South American countries and other Zika-endemic areas.

“They should be careful, particularly women who are pregnant in their first trimester,” she said.

According to Nila, one suspected case in Jambi last year had been declared under control.

The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology warned in a recent report that the virus had been spreading for some time. A Zika infection was found among 103 dengue specimens that the institute took during an outbreak in Jambi between December 2014 and April 2015.

Indonesia has a history of Zika infections dating back to 1981. According to several studies, Zika was found in Indonesia in 1981 and in 2005, said the Health Ministry recently.

The travel advisory would contain prevention guidelines in the countries prone to the virus, said Oscar Primadi, head of the Health Ministry’s communications and public services division.

Earlier, WHO urged countries in Southeast Asia to strengthen surveillance and take preventive measures against the Zika virus, which is strongly suspected to have a causal relation with clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities.

“The Aedes aegypti mosquito, responsible for its spread, is found in many areas and there is no evidence of immunity to the Zika virus in many populations of the region,” WHO Southeast Asia regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singhs said in a statement.

The WHO has recommended that countries build capacity in their laboratories to detect the virus and strengthen surveillance of fevers and rashes, neurological syndromes and birth defects.

Countries should intensify their vector control program and prepare health services for managing the Zika virus.

Public should not worry about Zika virus: Expert
Antara 4 Feb 16;

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The public are advised not to worry about Zika virus but should remain vigilant, according to Tri Wibawa, chairman of the Microbiology Department at Gajah Mada Universitys Faculty of Medicine in Yogyakarta.

"In Indonesia, the identification of the Zika virus that has spread in the Latin American community is not yet clear. It should be examined first whether the Zika virus in Indonesia is the same as or is different from that in Latin America," Wibawa noted on Wednesday.

In addition, he remarked that it should be reconfirmed whether the incidence of microcephaly in Colombia was really caused by the Zika virus.

"The Zika virus found in Indonesia could be different from that in Latin America, and therefore, the people need not worry about the virus. Besides this, the clinical manifestations due to the Zika virus attack are not as severe as dengue fever, which can lead to death," he pointed out.

Wibawa added that from an earlier report about the Zika virus attacks, it did not cause death, but the symptoms were characterized by fever, headache, joint pain, sometimes accompanied by a rash, red rash, and inflammation of the eye.

Nonetheless, he suggested that the people should still remain alert to the presence of the Zika virus since Indonesia is a country where the virus has a potential to spread.

In the meantime, Indonesias Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) claimed in Jakarta on Tuesday that the Zika virus infection was yet to be identified clearly in the archipelago.

According to the agencys deputy head of the agroindustrial technology and biotechnology division, Eng Eniya Listiana Dewi, the most common symptoms of the Zika virus infection are similar to those of malaria and the aedes aegypti-caused dengue fever.

"We still affirm that the symptoms of the Zika virus infection are similar to those of malaria and the aedes aegypti-caused dengue fever. Therefore, the identification of this virus remains unclear. For Indonesia, malaria remains harmful," she noted.

In coping with the threat of the Zika virus infection, the Health Ministry has warned related parties and society members to implement the 3M guidelines, which stand for burying, draining, and covering, as well as the campaign to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds.(*)


Indonesia facing two serious health issues
Otniel Tamindael Antara 3 Feb 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - In the fight against the dengue fever outbreak that has spread alarmingly to several regions, Indonesia should also implement early preventive measures in preparation for the possible occurrence of the deadlier Zika virus.

Zika virus is also transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is known to spread dengue fever and the chikungunya virus that produce flu-like symptoms including low-grade fever, headaches, joint pain, and rashes.

According to the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, a 27-year-old man living in Jambi province on Sumatra Island who had never traveled overseas was found to be infected with the Zika virus.

Therefore, Deputy Director of the Eijkman Molecular Biology Institution Herawati Sudoyo emphasized that Indonesia should implement early preventive measures in line with the World Health Organizations (WHOs) announcement.

Eijkman is the first institution to have isolated the Zika virus in Indonesia and has found a Zika case in Jambi, Sumatra, after the outbreak of the dengue disease in the province.

Zika has opened a new front in Indonesia, and therefore, preventive actions should be taken immediately against both the dengue and Zika viruses, Herawati affirmed.

Head of the Communications Bureau of the Public Health Care of the Health Ministry Oscar Primadi noted that the ministry had alerted all regional health offices against the outbreak of the Zika virus.

The WHO has announced that the Zika virus in Latin America poses a global public health emergency, necessitating a united response.

Margaret Chan, the WHO director general, called Zika an "extraordinary event" that needed a coordinated response.

"I am now declaring that the recent cluster of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities reported in Latin America following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014 constitutes a public health emergency of international concern," Chan remarked.

She affirmed that the priorities were to protect pregnant women and their infants from harm and to control the mosquitoes that are spreading the virus.

Presidential Special Staff of Communication Johan Budi Sapto Pribowo had noted that the Zika virus should be taken seriously before it is too late, despite it not having become an epidemic in Indonesia.

Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace complex here on Wednesday, Budi stated that President Joko Widodo will soon call Health Minister Nila Djuwita Anfasa Moeloek to formulate precautionary and preventive measures in the fight against the Zika virus.

"The government wants to obtain comprehensive data from the Ministry of Health on the Zika virus," Budi noted, adding that news on the discovery of the Zika virus in Bengkulu in 2015 was not valid.

He affirmed that the president would not take a decision without hearing and reading information provided by the Ministry of Health on the Zika virus, which has raised global concerns following its rapid spread.

Tri Wibawa, chairman of the Microbiology Department at the Gajah Mada Universitys Faculty of Medicine, noted in Yogyakarta on Tuesday that the public should not worry about the Zika virus but should remain vigilant.

"In Indonesia, the identification of the Zika virus that has spread in the Latin American community is not yet clear. It should be examined first whether the Zika virus in Indonesia is the same as or is different from that in Latin America," Wibawa noted.

In addition, he remarked that it should be reconfirmed whether the incidence of microcephaly in Colombia was really caused by the Zika virus.

"The Zika virus found in Indonesia could be different from that in Latin America, and therefore, the people need not worry about the virus. Besides this, the clinical manifestations due to the Zika virus attack are not as severe as dengue fever, which can lead to death," he pointed out.

Wibawa added that from an earlier report about the Zika virus attacks, it did not cause death, but the symptoms were characterized by fever, headache, joint pain, sometimes accompanied by a rash, red rash, and inflammation of the eye.

Nonetheless, he suggested that the people should still remain alert to the presence of the Zika virus since Indonesia is a country where the virus has a potential to spread.

In the meantime, Indonesias Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) claimed here on Tuesday that the Zika virus infection was yet to be identified clearly in the archipelago.

According to the agencys deputy head of the agroindustrial technology and biotechnology division, Eng Eniya Listiana Dewi, the most common symptoms of the Zika virus infection are similar to those of malaria and the aedes aegypti-caused dengue fever.

"We still affirm that the symptoms of the Zika virus infection are similar to those of malaria and the aedes aegypti-caused dengue fever. Therefore, the identification of this virus remains unclear. For Indonesia, malaria remains harmful," she informed journalists on the sidelines of a meeting of the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) for the SATREPS Project by Utilizing Diversity of Indonesia Bio-resources (SLeCAMA) here.

In coping with the threat of the Zika virus infection, the Health Ministry has warned related parties and society members to implement the 3M guidelines, which stand for burying, draining, and covering, as well as the campaign to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Read more!

Indonesia: CIFOR supports new peatland restoration agency to prevent forest fires

Antara 3 Feb 16;

Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - The newly established Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) should be supported in its efforts to restore peatland areas and prevent forest fires, according to the Bogor-based Center International Forest and Research (CIFOR).

Forest and plantation fires had damaged a total area of 2.6 million hectares across Indonesia in 2015, CIFOR scientist Herry Purnomo, concurrently professor of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), stated here, Tuesday.

The wildfires produced CO2 emissions that equaled the emissions in the United States during the same period.

The peatland agency plans to restore two million hectares of degraded peatland areas and to prevent the recurrence of wildfires.

"The BRGs endeavors need the support and involvement of the relevant stakeholders to prevent damage to peatland areas," he affirmed.

CIFOR and the Disaster Study Center of the University of Riau have organized a training and dialog as the start to the establishment of a forum called the Forum of Haze-Free Country (FORSIBU) to strengthen commitment to preventing forest and plantation fires in Riau Province.

"Through the FORSIBU, stakeholders are expected to improve the management of peat swamp areas through active participation of the local administrations, academicians, the private sector, local community, and NGOs," Dr Haris Gunawan of the Disaster Study Center noted.

Concrete actions at the grassroots level include capacity building of voluntary firefighters in every village and kampong, the setting up of community-based canal blocking, and providing education on forest fire prevention by involving police officers and schools in high-risk regions, among others.

President Joko Widodo installed Nazir Foead, former conservation director at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), as head of the BRG on January 20.

The BRG, which has been set up based on Presidential Regulation Number 1 of 2016, is chiefly tasked with preventing forest fires that particularly occur in peatlands and to restore such areas gutted by forest fires, particularly on Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Read more!