# 302
Indonesian media sources are now reporting that the husband and son of Riyah, 37, who tested positive and died yesterday of the H5N1 virus, have both tested positive for the disease. Thus far, while I’ve seen multiple reports of one relative testing positive (the son), I’ve only seen the one cited below claiming the husband is positive as well.
While officials are still maintaining there is `no evidence’ of H2H (Human to Human) transmission, it should be noted that Riyah fell ill on January 1st, and had been hospitalized since January 6th. Her husband and son fell ill ten days later, and were hospitalized on the 11th.
One of the unknowns about this virus is the incubation period. Earlier reports have suggested that it could be as long as 14 days in some individuals, although we’ve seen quite a few cases where people have fallen ill within a day or two of `exposure’ to sick birds.
A week or more gap between two or more family members falling ill is suggestive of H2H, but not definitive. It is within the realm of possibility that some other vector remains in their household, or that they simply took that much longer before becoming symptomatic.
Proving H2H transmission is exceedingly difficult. In fact, it borders on impossible in the field. It can be extrapolated in hindsight from the epidemiological data, but at the time of the occurrence, can be explained away by a variety of possible scenarios.
This report, machine translated from MetroTvOnline, comes via Pixie on the new Wiki. A tip of the hat to all of the newshounds working round the clock gathering this information.
MENKES AGAIN made a plea PEMISAHAKAN the POULTRY PEN AND the SETTLEMENT
Sabtu, 13 Januari 2007 12:12 WIB
Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: the Patient suspect bird flu that was treated in the Friendship Hospital, Jakarta East, still numbering eight people.
From eight patients, six among them from one family from Bekasi, West Java.
Now two other was stated positive contracted the virus H5N1. The two patients were U and A, the husband and the woman's child R that died resulting from bird flu on January 11 2007.
The reporter Metro the Delly Chaniago TV from RS the Friendship reported, two patients who died last night and on Saturday at dawn positive contracted bird flu. In medical information of the team's press RS the Friendship was this morning expressed that the patient was named Zulfa that died on Friday night around struck 22.30 WIB positive contracted bird flu. He died because of failing the function of the organ.
One other patient, Ani Afriani also died resulting from bird flu. Ani was the daughter of the patient had the initials R that also died resulting from bird flu.
Currently, U and A, the husband and the deceased's child R were also stated positive bird flu. Moreover, A it was reported worsened and needed respiratory aids.
However, in this press conference was ascertained that up to now was not yet found by the spread antarmanusia.
The word antarmanusia means `human to human’.
This report indicates that Ani Afriani, who died yesterday, was the daughter of Riyah, who died two days ago. If this is true, this is the first I’ve heard about it. Translations are difficult to decipher, and reports from the field can contain errors, so I’m withholding judgment on this piece of information until we can get some confirmation.
This has been, admittedly, a bad week in Indonesia. It was but a couple of weeks ago that Indonesian officials were optimistically talking about the coming year without any bird flu deaths. This week, they’ve had 4 flu fatalities. Earlier this week, the health minister pledged that there would be no new clusters in Indonesia. Now we have at least one.
Yet none of this is unexpected. We’ve seen outbreaks like this before, and family clusters, too. So far, this looks very much like last January. The thing to watch for is to see if these cases continue to expand in numbers and geographic range.
The next few months are likely to be very busy ones, filled with reports of outbreaks in birds, and sporadic cases in humans. Worrisome though they might be, small clusters are a long way from a pandemic outbreak.
While it may be unsettling to watch, it’s something we’d better get used to.
UPDATE 6:50 EDT: I'm seeing contradictory reports as to whether Riyah's husband has tested positive or negative for the H5N1 virus. As noted at the top of this entry, MetroTVOnline is reporting both are positive. Other outlets are not.
The situation is fluid. I'll update when I know more.
