Indonesia report from ProMed Mail

An 11-year-old boy who died this week has been confirmed as
Indonesia's 50th human bird flu fatality. The boy died on Mon [18 Sep
2006] and test results from 2 laboratories confirmed he was infected
with the H5N1 virus, [according to] Nadirin, a doctor at the National
Avian Influenza Information Centre. Tests from 2 laboratories are
required for the World Health Organisation to count the fatality in its toll.

Nadirin said that the latest death brought the number of confirmed
deaths to 50, the highest reported anywhere in the world.

The boy, identified only by the initial A., came from Karanggentong
in densely-populated East Java and had come into contact with sick
poultry, the usual method of transmission of the virus, the doctor
said on Fri 22 Sep 2006. He had developed a fever, cough and
breathing difficulties 2 days before he died, the doctor added.

Indonesia's death toll from bird flu has been steadily rising as the
virus has marched across the archipelago nation, spreading to 29 of
its 33 provinces. While the virus does not spread easily among
people, the chance of a mutation that would allow it to do so is
heightened as more humans catch it from infected birds.

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