It's Not Bird Flu, It's Black Magic, Say Indonesian Villagers

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Public Health;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 29 May 2006 - 8:00 PDT

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In the village where seven family members became infected with bird flu, locals are convinced the infections and six deaths were cause by black magic, not bird flu. Locals are afraid to go anywhere near the house where the seven family members lived.

Adding fuel to this fear is the fact that health experts have been unable to find an animal source for the human cluster of infections. Experts tell the locals that the family did have bird flu and no one else has become infected - they tell them the virus has not mutated. The locals are having none of it. Whether the virus has or has not mutated is not within their radar - their thoughts and fears are running along a completely different parallel. They are convinced that ghosts now haunt the house and that the infected family members were victims of some dreadful curse. Some say they wake up at night from frightening nightmares.

Bird flu infection from human-to-human most likely happened because the family members shared a small room. Bird flu can, on rare occasions, infect from human to human if there is continuous, close physical contact.

Neighbours ask why it is that only the family members became infected if the sick people were cared for by them as well, and they did not become infected. They are convinced that a curse over the family was what caused them to get sick and die. However, scientists say that in previous, smaller family clusters only blood relatives became infected from a human. In this cluster of 7, spouses and inlaws did not catch bird flu from the sick people, only blood relatives did. Explaining this to the villagers is crucial - convincing them may take a bit of time.

There is fear amongst the villagers that the curse will stain them if they walk anywhere near the house. There were a couple of cases of people cutting a chickens neck and drinking its blood as proof that they were not cursed. Such actions could become a serious public health care threat, especially if it happened in areas where there are infected chickens. It is vital that authorities implement an effective public awareness campaign.

While I sit here, thousands of miles from any bird flu threat, it is easy for me to put the black magic theory to one side and focus on the science. However, imagine that seven people in the house across the road from where you live get bird flu. You looked after some of them while they had fever and were very sick. Then they all die and no one else in the street gets even slightly ill. Then scientists come round and say "All your animals are healthy as are all humans. We do not know where this infection came from." Your raised level of anxiety, fear and confusion could play wonders with your imagination.

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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