# 2698
UPDATED: This report is now being denied by local officials. For that story go to Conflicting Reports Out Of Nepal
Two days ago we began hearing rumors in the media about possible human H5N1 cases in Nepal. While some of the details seemed dubious, it did appear that at least three people were under observation.
Now we have a partial confirmation to this story.
Santosh Dahal from Damak has apparently been receiving treatment in a local hospital for the past 3 days, and is exhibiting `bird flu symptoms'. The severity, and extend of these symptoms was not specified.
This story reports that a blood test (type unknown) may have suggested an H5N1 infection, but that further lab work was required to confirm this case.
This remains a `suspected' case.
If confirmed, this would be Nepal's first known human H5N1 infection.
This report from Xinhua News.
Nepal finds suspected human infection of bird flu
www.chinaview.cn
2009-01-25 14:16:44
KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has found a patient from Damak, eastern Nepal, to be suspected case of human bird flu infection, Nepali national news agency RSS reported on Sunday.
Damak of Jhapa district is some 320 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu. In mid-January, the first case of bird flu in poultry was detected in Kakarbhitta of the same district.
According to the report, bird flu has been suspected to have infected Santosh Dahal from Damak who was taken to nearby BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan. Communication spokesperson for BPKIHS Bijay Rimal said bird flu virus has been suspected to have been found in Dahal's blood sample during test in institute's laboratory.
He said Dahal's blood sample has been sent for further tests in a sophisticated laboratory. He said Dahal was showing symptoms of bird flu infection. The BPKIHS however did not reveal where Dahal's blood sample was sent.
Rimal, however, said it cannot be officially confirmed whether Dahal is infected with bird flu yet as the institute lacked a specific lab to test bird flu. Dahal was referred to Dharan by Lifeline Hospital in Damak following three-day treatment there.
