Boy 8 confirmed to have bird flu, H5N1, Indonesian authorities raise surveillance

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 25 Sep 2005 - 15:00 PDT

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The Indonesian Ministry of Health confirmed that an 8-year-old boy has tested positive for H5N1 infection. The test was carried out at a WHO reference laboratory in Hong Kong.

The boy is under observation in hospital. According to authorities, there is no evidence yet that the virus is passing from human-to-human.

For the past two years Indonesia has seen various outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu). Two H5N1 cases have been confirmed; the first one in July and the other in September (this year).

With the help of the World Health Organization (WHO), Indonesian health authorities are carrying out extensive searches for further cases.

The World Health Organization is keeping a close eye on the situation in Indonesia. They say these new cases of H5N1 infection are not surprising when compared to detection rates in other countries affected in Asia.

Most cases of H5N1 infection are associated with contact with poultry, says WHO. In very few cases, some human to human transmission may have occurred where the humans have been in close contact with an infected person (carers and health care professionals). However, there is no evidence that transmission is from human-to-human has led to larger outbreaks. This, says WHO, indicates that the virus does not spread easily among people at this time.

WHO has sent health authorities throughout the world a document explaining how to respond to a bird flu pandemic threat.

If the bird flu virus evolves into a human-to-human transmissible one the consequences for global human health could be catastrophic with tens (or even hundreds) of millions of people losing their lives.

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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