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Indonesia: Bird Flu Suspect

 

 


# 4670

 

 

While from time to time we see media reports of suspected H5N1 human infections coming out of Indonesia, the Health Ministry only rarely issues an official confirmation.

 

More than two years ago the Indonesian government decided that real-time reporting of bird flu cases was detrimental to their economy and their international image, and since that time we only get sporadic `official’ updates (see Indonesia To Stop Announcing Bird Flu Deaths)

 

Therefore, many of these media reports of suspected cases go nowhere, and we are left wondering what happened.

 

 

Still, there is value in reporting them.   It reminds us that the bird flu problem in Indonesia has not gone away, even if it is largely absent from headlines.

 


Today, Ida at BFIC has a report from a local media source on a boy in isolation, awaiting laboratory tests for H5N1.  

 

This is a `suspect case’, and there certainly are a number of other pathogens in that region that could produce severe `flu-like’ symptoms. 

 

 

image

West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia 

 

 

Pontianak, West Kalimantan ::: Outbreak continues. A boy is under treatment.

Posted by Ida on June 23, 2010

West Kalimantan, an officially certified bird flu free province in Indonesia, keep reporting bird flu outbreak.  -adm-.

Pontianak – A 4-year-old boy from Kecamatan (sub-district) North Pontianak suspected of having bird flu/avian influenza (H5N1) infection. Patient is currently isolated in dr Soedarso regional hospital in Pontianak. “One patient is under isolation. Throat swab has been sent to Laboratory of Health Research and Development (Litbangkes). Epidemiology investigation didn’t show other similar case,” confirmed Head of Health Service of Pontianak, Multi Juto Batharendo.

 

Many birds reported to have died lately in North Pontianak. Soedarso regional hospital is a bird flu referral hospital is West Kalimantan. Since sudden death in birds reported, the hospital has prepared facilities for anticipating bird flu patients, such as an isolation unit for bird flu patient and disease control medical team.

 

In the meantime, Health Service has done prevention measures such as epidemiology investigation, public socialization and Tamiflu distribution to public health centers.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Pontianak Post

 

 Dutchy at FluTrackers has a thread going on this, with another, longer translated media report.  

 

If we should get a follow up report on this, I’ll pass it on.

Related Post:

H5N1
Indonesia
Bird Flu

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