Indonesia says local tests show youth has bird flu

November 14, 2005

14 Nov 2005 02:38:18 GMT

Source: Reuters

(Adds details)

JAKARTA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indonesian tests on a 16-year-old youth

show he is suffering from the H5N1 bird flu virus, but the results

have to be confirmed by a laboratory in Hong Kong, a hospital

spokesman said on Monday.

Spokesman Ilham Patu and the Health Ministry said tests were also

being conducted on two other patients who died over the weekend in

the Sulianti Saroso Hospital, Jakarta's hospital for treating bird

flu patients.

Patu said the 16-year-old youth was admitted to the Sulianti Saroso

Hospital on Nov. 11. He was in intensive care, Patu added, without

saying if the teenager had been in contact with dead chickens.

Indonesia has had five deaths from bird flu confirmed by the Hong

Kong laboratory, which is recognised by the World Health

Organisation. Another four people have been confirmed to have

contracted the virus but have survived.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain is endemic in poultry in Asia,

where it is known to have killed 64 people.

Experts fear H5N1 could mutate into a form that passes easily among

people, just like human influenza. If it does, millions could die

because they would have no immunity.

Patu said the two patients who died over the weekend in the hospital

after suffering bird flu like symptoms were a 20-year-old woman and

a 13-year-old girl. An initial local test on the girl had proven

negative for bird flu, he said.

The government last week said local testing had shown a 16-year-old

girl had died of bird flu, but officials are still waiting for

confirmation from Hong Kong.

The H5N1 virus has also been found in birds in eastern Europe and

there are fears migrating flocks could take it to the Middle East

and Africa.

Most human bird flu cases have been blamed on direct or indirect

contact with infected chickens.

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