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The news out of Indonesia, which came so fast and furious yesterday, has slowed to a trickle today. No new reported cases have presented at hospitals, and the details surrounding the 7 cases we know about are evolving.
Right now, we apparently have two positive cases, and five suspected cases. This report from Bloomberg:
Indonesia Reports Second Bird-Flu Case in Two Days (Update2)
By Karima Anjani
Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Indonesia confirmed a second human bird-flu case in as many days, while at least six other people are being monitored in the hospital following contact with the patients, a health ministry official said.
A 37-year-old woman in critical condition at Persahabatan Hospital in Jakarta is the latest to be infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, said Runizar Ruesin, head of the ministry's avian flu information center. Her infection was confirmed late yesterday. She developed symptoms on Jan. 1 and was hospitalized five days later, Ruesin said today.
At least six others are being treated with the antiviral medicine oseltamivir at Persahabatan Hospital, said I Nyoman Kandun, the ministry's director general of disease control and environment. Health officials monitor suspected clusters of cases closely because they may signal the virus is becoming more adept at infecting humans, not just birds.
``We will wait for test results before raising an assumption of a possible cluster,'' Kandun said today. ``They are suffering from symptoms of regular influenza such as coughing'' and fever, he said.
The 37 year-old-woman who is highlighted in this report appears to be unrelated to the group centered around the 14 year-old-boy who tested positive. Both she and the boy apparently developed symptoms at roughly the same time, according to this report.
A hospital news conference has been scheduled for later today, and perhaps we will learn more. Tests are being conducted on the five `suspected' cases, and there are rumors on the Internet that they have thus far tested negative. Negative tests are not uncommon with H5N1 virus, particularly after Tamiflu has been administered, but this is also regular flu season.
I would imagine anyone who had been in contact with the 14 year-old who tested positive, and who presented with any flu symptoms at all, would be viewed with immediate suspicion. Nerves in Jarkarta are probably running a bit frayed.
We'll have to wait and see.
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