UNICEF Campaign After Spate of Avian Flu Deaths in Bali

Bali's tranquility was shaken again when a young woman became the islands first bird flu victim. She was the 103rd person to contract the deadly virus. Bayu Krisnamurthi, National Avian Influenza Commission: "We are trying to give an objective picture and information to the world about the situation in Bali so tourists don't need to be afraid to come to Bali. People still need to be cautious but they don't need to be afraid." Tukadaya village, West Bali where the 29 year old woman died of the virus. Just shortly after her five year old daughter passed away. Now doctors suspect she also died from bird flu. I Nengah Budi Setiawan, father and husband of victims: "She had just started school, when after a week she came down with a fever. I took her to the local health clinic they thought she had typhoid. Then a few days later she was in the hospital where she died. My wife fainted and then 2 weeks later I lost her too." Her grandparents lived with the family and say they don't understand why their granddaughter was a victim. Grandfather, "I have so many regrets, says the grandfather I feel so empty inside." In this small village far from the popular tourist spots. News of the outbreak spread around the world while government and UN teams moved in to alert the community and take steps to stop the virus from spreading. That includes culling all poultry in the surrounding neighborhood. Where most are free range. For now experts say the only way to catch the virus is with direct contact with infected poultry.But there are fears that if the virus mutates it could spread from person to person and spark a global pandemic. That's why UNICEF,with funding from Japan and Canada , is supporting a public awareness campaign that includes getting the message out to school children. communication is key to ensuring that communities have the information they need to protect themselves. But it is an enormous task. Bali is just one of the thousands of islands that make up Indonesia and there is no way of knowing when or where the bird flu virus will strike next.