# 5438
Although a bit out of the news cycle these past few weeks, H5N1 bird flu continues to plague Indonesia.
Aside from almost daily outbreaks in birds, we’ve seen numerous media reports of suspected human cases hospitalized and treated for H5N1.
Most – after days or even weeks of isolation and treatment - have reportedly tested negative for the virus, and have been sent home.
Thus far, for 2011, Indonesia has reported 3 H5N1 infections to the World Health Organization, all fatal.
Yesterday the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a 4th case; An, a 22 months old female from Bekasi, West Java province (see BFIC Indonesia ::: Ministry of Health announces additional H5N1 victim)
Overnight, Ida at The Bird Flu Information Corner – a joint project of Kobe University in Japan and the Institute of Tropical Disease, Airlangga University, Indonesia - has details on two more bird flu related stories.
First, a another suspected bird flu fatality, followed by the resurgence of bird flu (in poultry) on the vacation destination island of Bali.
Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta ::: A dead patient suspected of contracting bird flu
Posted by Ida on March 24, 2011
Gunungkidul – A 26-year-old female named Sri Supartilah, a resident of Desa Pacarejo, Semanu, Gunungkidul died after being treated for 3 days in Sardjito hospital, Yogyakarta on Wednesday, 23 March. Patient who was a housewife, is suspected of contracting avian influenza (H5N1) infection.
Head of Health Service Kabupaten Gunungkidul, dr. Sri Raharto, said the cause of death is still unknown. Currently, confirmation test is undergoing by Ministry of Health.
Bali ::: Bird flu spreads in 3 municipals
Posted by Ida on March 24, 2011
Denpasar – Three municipals in Bali province that are Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan, stated positive bird flu. Mayors and municipal governments in Bali have been told to take steps for controlling the virus spread through the memo issued by the governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika.
Head of Livestock Service in Bali, Putu Sumantara said bird flu had been detected in Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan by rapid test and confirmed positive by laboratory test.
Following to the finding officials conducted vaccination in birds, and managed the bodies of suddenly dead chickens to be evacuated and burned.
Indonesian officials tend to hold bird flu outbreak information very close to the vest, with their former Health Minister (Supari) having expressed the opinion back in 2008 that publically discussing H5N1 was detrimental to their nation’s image.
So we tend to get far less information out of Indonesia than we used to.
Indonesia also continues to refuse to share virus samples with the rest of the world.
Testing for the virus, of course, has always been difficult. Indonesia requires repeated positive or negative results before they are accepted as valid.
All of which tends to make some observers of the bird flu situation in Indonesia a bit skeptical of the numbers we get from the MOH.
Although we continue to see isolated human infections, for now H5N1 is primarily a threat to poultry.
The virus remains poorly adapted to human physiology, and despite ample opportunities in places like Egypt and Indonesia, only causes rare, sporadic infections.
The concern, of course, is that over time that may change. And so the world remains at Pre-pandemic Phase III on the H5N1 virus, and we continue to watch for signs that the virus is adapting to humans.
