President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched a bird flu eradication campaign in Pasuruan, East Java, on Thursday, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus that has killed six people in the country so far.

"I called on the people to make 'tumpas' (eradication) efforts. With them we hope people will panic no more towards the virus," he said when opening a national model animal husbandry week.

He called on the people to increase cleanliness at poultry coops, spray them with disinfectants, promote the habit of washing hands with soap and protect children and elderlies from sick poultry, state-owned news agency Antara reported.

He also called on the people to cook poultry meat and eggs well before eating them and to report to the authorities if they found sick poultry.

In addition, he asked governors, district heads, mayors, subdistrict heads and all community members to jointly fight the virus.

"Unless the effort is made the virus may affect our animal husbandry," he said.

If the efforts were successful, the country's animal husbandry would develop again, he added.

Details of the eradication campaign have not been disclosed yet.

Bird flu has killed 66 people in four Asian nations since late 2003 and has been found in birds in Russia and Europe.

Source: Xinhua