Bird flu outbreak not getting worse in Indonesia, WHO

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 23 Sep 2005 - 19:00 PDT

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As the number of people with bird-flu like symptoms in Indonesia grows, the WHO says this does not mean things are getting worse in that country. WHO officials said there is no indication at all that the spread is due to human-to-human infection.

Many fear that as soon as the virus mutates, and can transmit from human-to-human we will witness a global pandemic of biblical proportions. The most likely way the virus could become a human-to-human transmissible one is via the pig - it could eventually mutate in a pig, infect a human and spread throught humans (say many in the medical community).

Indonesian authorities are advising people to take precautions, especially health care workers and people caring for patients, friends or relatives infected with bird-flu. Authorities in Indonesia say they are organizing a mass cull of chickens in infected areas. They asked that anyone who experienced bird-flu like symptoms should go to health centers immediately - they even uttered threats of perhaps forcing people into hospitals.

The Word Health Organization says that there is no current evidence of an epidemic in Indonesia.

Since the end of July, four patients in Indonesia have died as a result of being infected with bird flu. 13 patients are currently being tested for bird-flu - they are all in hospital.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor - Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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