# 1194
Riau, Indonesia has been a hotbed of bird flu activity in recent months. Several deaths have been attributed to the H5N1 virus in that province, along with numerous reports of poultry die-offs. Yesterday's controversy over whether 10-year old Gozi, and her 17-year old aunt, died of bird flu makes it impossible to know the exact number of human cases.
Today, Xinhua news is reporting on 7 children suspected of having bird flu. Tests have yet to be run, and until confirmed, these are only suspected cases.
7 children suspected with bird flu in Indonesia's Riau
www.chinaview.cn
2007-10-23 19:27:12
JAKARTA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Seven children aged between one and 10 years old have been suspected of having bird flu in Indonesia's Riau province, where four people have died of the virus in recent months, an official said Tuesday.
"It is only suspicion but we are serious to handle the case," local head office head Hasanul Irbai was quoted by leading news website Detikcom as saying.
The seven children live in Merampi Hulu village, Siak regency in the province on Sumatra island.
"The Siak government will immediately send the children to the Arifin Achmad Hospital in (provincial capital) Pekanbaru," he said.
Earlier this week, the government confirmed that bird flu was the cause of the death of a 10-year-old girl in Riau, bringing the total of national casualties to 89, the highest among other bird-flu affected countries in the world.
