Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 40

21 February 2008

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced two new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection. The first is a 16-year-old male from Sragen district, Central Java Province who developed symptoms on 3 February, was hospitalized on 7 February and died on 10 February. Prior to his illness, the case was exposed to sick and dead poultry at his home, where he slaughtered a sick chicken.

The second case is a 3-year-old boy from South Jakarta District, Jakarta Province who developed symptoms on 3 February, was hospitalized on 10 February and died on15 February. The investigation team found that chickens & a pet bird had died in the neighborhood in the two weeks prior to the case’s onset of symptoms.

Of the 129 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 105 have been fatal.