Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Indonesian Parents Refuse Isolation For Child

 

# 1206

 

 

The success rate of Indonesian hospitals treating H5N1 infections isn't something to brag about.   Thus far, 89 of 111 patients have died, despite treatment. 

 

That's an 80% CFR (Case Fatality Ratio). 

 

If you remove the Indonesian cases from the mix, worldwide, the CFR sits around 52%.  Not great, but better.

 

Today we learn that the parents of a child from Tangerang that, a suburb of Jakarta, have refused hospitalization and isolation for their son.   They have taken the child home against medical advice.

 

The child is reportedly improving under home care.  Good news for the boy and his family.

 

The downside is, without isolation, there is a stronger likelihood this virus could spread; carried by family members treating the boy into their community.  

 

This from the Straits Times.

 

 

 

Oct 31, 2007

Indonesia's bird flu boy defies hospital orders, returns home

 

JAKARTA - THE parents of a three-year-old Indonesian boy infected with bird flu have defied hospital orders that he stay in isolation and taken him home, a hospital official said on Wednesday.

 

The boy from Tangerang, a satellite city west of the capital Jakarta, stayed in hospital for just half a day last Saturday, said Sardikin Giriputro, deputy director of Sulianti Saroso hospital.

 

'We had no choice but to let the boy leave the hospital as his parents insisted on taking their child home,' he said.

 

He added that a patient should remain in isolation until a test showed the infection was over.

 

Doctors wanted him to remain in isolation to ensure there would be no possibility of human-to-human infection, he said.

 

The boy was under home observation by medics from a health centre in Tangerang and Wednesday's report said that his condition was improving, Mr Giriputro added.

 

Indonesia has reported 111 cases of bird flu, 89 of which have been fatal - the highest number of any nation.

 

The H5N1 strain of bird flu is endemic in birds across nearly all of Indonesia. Scientists worry that the virus could mutate into a form more easily transmissible between humans, sparking a global pandemic. -- AFP