Home
News
Latest bird flu victim in Indonesia
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 58th
case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza
virus.
The case occurred in a 9-year-old girl from a remote village in Garut
district, West Java Province. She developed symptoms on 1 August, was
hospitalised on 14 August, and died on 15 August. Recent chicken deaths were
reported in her household.
Three hamlets within the village are currently under investigation. An
additional case from the village, but from another hamlet, was confirmed by the
Ministry of Health on 14 August. This 17-year-old male developed symptoms on 26
July and is now recovering. Another death from severe respiratory disease
occurred on 5 August in a 20-year-old neighbour, who is also now known to be a
cousin. As no samples were taken for testing, the cause of his illness remains
uncertain. Based on epidemiological and clinical findings, however, infection
with the H5N1 avian
influenza virus is strongly suspected.
As both young men developed symptoms on the same day (26 July),
epidemiologists assume that they acquired their infection from a shared
environmental source. The currently recognised incubation period for H5N1
infection of 2 to 8 days makes human-human transmission between the two highly
improbable.
Teams from local health authorities, the Ministry of Health, and the WHO are currently in the three hamlets
investigating these cases and assessing the overall situation. All three cases
described above had documented exposure to diseased chickens.
Heightened awareness in the hamlets, supported by the presence of
well-equipped teams, has led to the presentation of additional persons for
medical evaluation. Specimens have been taken and tests are being conducted.
Rumours of additional deaths from respiratory disease in the hamlets in late
July and early August are also being investigated.
Of the 58 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 45 have been
fatal.
Editor WorldPoultry
To comment, login here
Or register to be able to comment.