# 4267
A long background piece from IRIN news, on the bird flu situation in Indonesia.
IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) was founded in 1995, and is part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
While technically a part of the UN, it maintains editorial independence, and its reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations and its agencies, not its member states.
Indonesia has been less than forthcoming to the WHO, the UN, and the world at large about their bird flu situation for several years. They still refuse to share virus samples, and report on human cases very rarely, and with little detail.
Indonesia hasn't submitted an OIE report detailing outbreaks of H5N1 in their poultry since September of 2006, yet we know from local newspaper stories that these outbreaks occur more or less constantly, and throughout most of that country.
Some of the quotes offered by Indonesian officials in this article, therefore, need to be taken with a sizable grain of salt.
The assertion that there hasn’t been a human infection since November, for instance, runs contrary to some of the news reports we’ve seen over the past few weeks.
But no case is `positive’ till the government says it’s positive. Which is a technicality that Indonesia seems to avail themselves of on a regular basis.
And, as Dr. C.A. Nidom points out in this story, surveillance and reporting in Indonesia isn’t always entirely reliable.
I’ve only reproduced part of this article, follow the link to read it in its entirety.
INDONESIA: Bird flu cases down but risk remains high
Photo: David Swanson/IRIN
More cases of bird flu have occurred in Indonesia than anywhere in the world
JAKARTA, 18 January 2010 (IRIN) - Indonesia reported fewer deaths from bird flu in 2009, but health specialists warn that the risk to humans remains high.
Indonesia's Health Ministry said 20 people were infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus last year and 19 cases were fatal. The country recorded 24 cases in 2008, 20 fatal.
Since 2005, Indonesia has had 161 bird flu cases, with 134 deaths, making the country's death toll from the virus the highest in the world.
“There has been a lull recently. We have not had positive cases since November,” Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih told reporters on 15 January.
“The trend is similar across the world. Some diseases are seasonal, and we have to continue to be vigilant," he said.
Sedyaningsih said effective surveillance and measures to control the disease in poultry had contributed to the decrease.
However, Gregory Härtl, a WHO spokesman in Geneva, told IRIN: “Our risk assessment has not changed,” with the number of deaths in 2009 very similar to 2008.
According to WHO data, globally, 32 people died of bird flu last year, against 33 in 2008.
Härtl noted that “governments are very aware of the challenge and threat posed by H5N1 and are reacting well”.
