Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Indonesia: Another Suspected Case

 

# 628

 

On the heels of the announcement, just hours ago, of the 23-year old housemaid who died from the virus, we get this report of a 15-year old girl who has initially tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

 

 

Indonesian girl suspected of bird flu

 

    JAKARTA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- A 15-year-old Indonesian girl, from central Jakarta, was suspected of having avian influenza, as an initial laboratory test showed that she was positive of the disease, Indonesian Health Ministry said here on Wednesday.

 

    The health officials were waiting for the result of the second laboratory test for confirmation that she was positively contracted by the pathogenic H5N1 virus, an official of the anti-bird flu center of the ministry Joko Suyono said.

 

    The girl was first admitted to the Catholic Hospital in the city on March 30, two days after she suffered from the germs of the disease of high fever, and pneumonia, said the official.

 

    Then on Monday, the patient was transferred to a designed-bird flu hospital of Persahabatan in East Jakarta, he said.

 

    The initial test showed that she was positive of bird flu, Suyono told Xinhua.

 

    The official said that she had historical contacts with animals,as she has looked after chickens and birds.

 

    Should the second test is positive, she will be the 93rd person contracted by the virus.