Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia - update 7

13 March 2006

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed an additional case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 12-year-old girl from Boyolali, Central Java. She developed symptoms (fever) on 19 February, was hospitalized on 23 February, and died on 1 March. Chickens in her household died in the days preceding symptom onset.

The girl’s 10-year-old brother also fell ill on 19 February and died on 28 February. As his symptoms were compatible with a clinical diagnosis of dengue haemorrhagic fever, no testing for H5N1 was carried out. It will therefore never be known whether he may have died following co-infection with dengue and H5N1 avian influenza.

A local investigation was conducted and no additional cases or symptomatic contacts were found. Rapid tests detected the H5 virus subtype in chickens from the children’s household.

The newly confirmed case brings the total in Indonesia to 29. Of these, 22 were fatal.