# 4227
Once again, my Internet connection has let me down (broadband cable) today due to – according to my ISP – the unusually cold weather here in Florida.
With the temps back above freezing, my connectivity has returned. For now, anyway.
Luckily Ida at the Bird Flu Information Corner is operating under no such constraints, and we have four (count’em) . . .four stories out of Indonesia today on their website.
As you probably are already aware, this is the time of year when we tend to see a spike in bird flu reports from around the world.
The first story involves 5 suspect H5N1 patients in a hospital in Dempasar, on the island of Bali in Indonesia.
In 2007 there were two H5N1 deaths reported in Bali. Given that tourism is a major component of their economy, they tend to take reports of suspect cases seriously there.
Denpasar, Bali ::: Sanglah hospital treats five bird flu suspect patients
January 7, 2010Denpasar – Five bird flu suspect patients are being treated at Sanglah hospital. Their blood samples have been sent to Jakarta for further test, stated Head of Health Service Bali, Nyoman Suteja. However, Nyoman did not mention the identity of patients in details.
Those patients showed signs such as rising of body temperature and breathing difficulty. The symptoms are not specific for bird flu infection, in particular whether change recently may influence one’s health condition, added Nyoman. Currently, those patients are still treated at isolation unit.
One of bird flu suspect patients, with initial WR (65), resident of Banjarangkan , Kabupaten Klungkung has been suspected of contracting bird flu infection after number of chickens found to have suddenly died in close proximity of her resident.
This next story comes from Central Kalimantan, or what we generally call the island of Borneo.
Central Kalimantan ::: H5N1 outbreak in chickens (Update)
January 7, 2010This is related, and also a correction, to the previous post “Kapuas, South Kalimantan ::: Mass chicken deaths confirmed H5N1 positive”, which mentioned bird flu outbreak in “South Kalimantan”. Kapuas is actually a municipal (Kabupaten) in “Central Kalimantan” (Kalimantan Tengah). We appologize for misleading the location of Kapuas. This post also give additional information other outbreaks in Kabupaten Pulang Pisang and Palangkaraya city (capital of Central Kalimantan). -adm-.
Palangkaraya – Thousands of poultries in Kabupaten Kapuas and Kabupaten Pulang Pisau, also Palangkaraya city, in Central Kalimantan province, contracting bird flu or avian influenza (AI) virus. Vice governor of Central Kalimantan, Ahmad Dran, stated those birds possibly entered Central Kalimantan from neighboring province, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. To stop expansion of outbreak, regional government paused incoming poultry traffic from Banjarmasin, in mean time, poultry product needs will be supplied from Kabupaten Sampit.
And this one from central Java.
Cilacap, Central Java ::: Bird flu attacks backyard chickens
January 7, 2010Cilacap, Central Java – At least 50 backyard chickens belong to locals in Desa Karangmangu, Kecamatan Kroya found suddenly dead. Head of Agriculture and Livestock Service of Kabupaten Cilacap, Gunawan, confirmed those chickens had died of bird flu or avian influenza (AI) virus.
And lastly, some more details on one of the patients in Bali.
Bali ::: 65-year-old bird flu suspect treated at Sanglah hospital
January 7, 2010Denpasar, Bali – A bird flu suspect woman, resident of Banjar Angkan Klungkung is being treated at Sanglah hospital. The 65-year-old, with initial RR, was referred to Sanglah hospital in Tuesday (5/1) after previously had been treated at Klungkung hospital.
This is confirmed by the Secretary of Bird Flu Control Team of Sanglah hospital, Ken Wirashandi. “Patient is stated as bird flu suspect patient as she came with breathing difficulty. She is a chicken farmer and chickens reared at her home had died few days ago. Further investigation to the chickens showed positive H5N1 infection,” said Ken. “Patient had been ill before the chickens died, and started to have breathing difficulty after that. But, she has other sickness which causes breathing problem when it gets worse,” he added.
Patient is still under treatment and observation as bird flu suspect, and her condition is reported to have improved. She also has received tamiflu treatment.
My thanks to Ida at BFIC – a joint venture between Kobe University in Japan and the Institute of Tropical Disease, Airlangga University, Indonesia – for keeping track of these bird flu developments.
These human cases are, of course, only suspect cases right now. There are other plausible explanations for their symptoms, and we must await laboratory confirmation.
It remains to be seen whether the recent changes in the Health Ministry of Indonesia will translate into greater transparency on the issue of H5N1. So it is difficult to know if, or when, we will see any official updates on these reports.
