Two more Indonesian children die from AI

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed two additional fatal cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The most recent case occurred in a 9-year-old boy from South Jakarta. He developed symptoms of fever and a runny nose on 13 September, was hospitalised on 20 September, and died on 22 September. His history showed recent contact with sick chickens, which he kept as pets.

The other case occurred in an 11-year-old boy from East Java Province. He developed symptoms of fever and cough on 16 September, was hospitalised on 18 September, and died the same day. Poultry in the child's household began dying in the month prior to symptom onset, and poultry deaths continued thereafter in his neighbourhood.

Of the 67 cases of avian influenza confirmed to date in Indonesia, 51 have been fatal.

See the World Health Organisation's cumulative table of human cases of avian influenza as at 25 September 2006.

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Editor WorldPoultry