# 4533
The past couple of weeks have seen a few scattered reports of suspected H5N1 infections in Indonesia, something that is pretty common during the winter and spring months of the year.
Details are usually scant, and official confirmation of these reports sometimes takes months. Sometimes we never hear a follow up on these cases, and are left to wonder exactly what transpired.
Over the past few days we’ve seen a spike in Indonesian media reports regarding suspected human infections with the H5N1 virus, including the death of a 4 year-old girl yesterday.
Thus far, we’ve not seen any laboratory confirmation that these recent patients were infected with the H5N1 virus. So these remain suspect cases.
On Monday, Ida at BFIC carried a report of four locals (one adult, 3 toddlers) from Sungaiapit, Riau hospitalized with suspected H5N1 (see Watching Riau Again).
Today, based on a machine translation of an Indonesian media report, it appears that the number of suspect cases in this region has climbed to nine.
The usual cautions with these translated reports applies;
Machine translations can be awkward and difficult to decipher, local reporting may or may not be accurate, and there are a great many diseases in that region that share the same initial symptoms as bird flu.
This report was posted by Shiloh on this thread at FluTrackers,
Bird Flu Case in Spreads Starting Apit River
29 April 2010
Reports Abu Kasim, Sungaiapit abukasim@riaupos.com
CASE Sungaiapit bird flu in the district began to expand, since the unknown Saturday (24 / 4) and then, only one village namely Lalang Village.
In the village of hundreds of birds died suddenly had a positive infected bird flu virus (AI) and until Tuesday (27 / 4), extends to two villages and one village ie village of Parit I / II and Hope Village and Village Sungaiapit.
Even human sacrifice which was initially only four people have grown to nine people, two of whom, since Monday (26 / 4) are already in the reconciliations in hospitals Arifin Achmad Pekanbaru.
Some of these suspect cases are apparently being treated in their homes with Tamiflu, and are not hospitalized or otherwise isolated.
Since `mild cases’ of H5N1 are seldom reported in Indonesia (whether they exist or not is another issue), the fact that not all of these people are ill enough to be hospitalized may serve to lessen the import of these reports a bit.
It isn’t unusual, however, for locals to refuse hospital care in Indonesia, so we’ll simply have to wait for more information.
Meanwhile, more than 200 kilometers to the southwest, in Padang we’ve this report (h/t Shiloh on FluTrackers) of an 11 year-old hospitalized with suspected bird flu.
The boy’s condition is reported as `still not good’. Once again, this is a suspect case, and laboratory tests are pending.
Padang | Thursday, 4/29/2010 17:37 AM
Dr M. Djamil Back Hospitalized Patient suspect Avian Influenza
Irwan Prayitno
Padang, (AFP) - General Hospital Center Padang M. Djamil, again treating patients suspected of bird flu suspected origin Kanagarian Bawang, Lubuk Basung, Agam District.
"The victim is a 11-year-old boy Rz initials," said Dr M. Head of Public Relations Djamil, Gustavianof.
According to him, Rz sent to Dr M. Djamil on Thursday (29 / 4) early morning at around 2:00 pm.
"Description of the victims parents, three days earlier, Rz suffering from high fever and a little shortness of breath. Then Rz Lubuk brought to health centers in two dozen, but the clinic complaining because of lack of equipment, so refer him to Dr M. Djamil," said Gustavianof.
When Rz fever, not far from his home, found 50 chickens that died suddenly.
"Based on the description of a local veterinarian, the chickens are attacked by the bird flu virus," he said.
This story is being followed on this thread at FluTrackers.
Again, scattered reports of this type are not unusual this time of year. The newshounds on the flu forums will continue to watch these cases, and I’ll update them here if and when more information becomes available.
