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# 7417
With H7N9 and MERS-CoV capturing the limelight, H5N1 avian flu has gotten very little press over the past few months, but it hasn’t gone away. It is still endemic in wild birds and poultry in some regions of the world, and on occasion, spills over into humans.
For the past two days Shiloh and Gert van der Hoek on FluTrackers have been following media reports of a suspected fatal H5N1 case in Bekasi, West Java. The victim was reportedly a 2 1/2 year old male.
Today, the Indonesian Ministry of Health has confirmed that case, linking probable exposure to a local poultry market near the child’s home.
Bird Flu Case Report-193
June 21, 2013 | 12:51 pm
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia through the Directorate General of Disease Control and Environmental Health, and has been confirmed by the Center for Biomedical and Health Technology Association, Balitbangkes Strathmore University, announced a new case of H5N1 avian influenza infection, on behalf of the RBP (Male, 2 years 6 months) residents Jakamulya South Bekasi, Bekasi, West Java Province.
Monday (10/6) reported cases had onset of fever, then went to the doctor in private practice pediatrician and given medication for fever. Because it is still fever, concerned parents to seek treatment RSHG and taken care of by Thyphoid fever diagnosis. However, on Monday (18/6) cases of high fever, cough and progressive shortness of breath experienced. Because of this, refer to RSHB RSHG. Cases in intensive care in the ICU and ventilator. On Wednesday (19/6), based on the analysis of medical, indicated cases of bird flu.
However, due to the limitations of the tool, refer the case to the RSPP RSHB Jakarta. At approximately 7:40 pm, a case of getting treatment in the ICU AI RSPP. The hospital has tried its utmost to provide medical help, but due to the deteriorating condition (coma), RBP (late) could not be saved and breathed his last on the same day at approximately 8:40 pm.
Epidemiological investigations have been conducted into the homes of people and the environment by the Ministry of Health Integrated Team, BBTKL-PP Jakarta, Bekasi City Health Department and the Department of Animal Husbandry Bekasi. Based searches, acquired risk factors, namely the possibility of contacts polluted environment in the market which is about 200 meters from the case, because two days before the hospital on Saturday (8/6) cases invited his mother went to the market to buy chicken pieces.
With the increase of these cases, the cumulative number of bird flu in Indonesia since 2005 until this news broadcast is 193 cases with 161 deaths. Meanwhile at the world level, the total number of cases of H5N1 infection since the beginning found to date amounted to 630 cases with 375 deaths.
"WHO data will change, there are 6 states that reported cases of H5N1 avian influenza infection in 2013", said Prof. Tjandra.
Previously, only 5 countries had reported cases of H5N1 avian influenza infection in 2013, namely Bangladesh (1 case, 1 death), Cambodia (11 cases, 8 deaths), China (2 cases, 2 died), Egypt (4 cases, 3 dead), Vietnam (2 cases, 1 death).
This information is released by Center for Public Communication, Secretariat General of the Ministry of Health. For further information, please contact Halo MOH hotline 500-567; SMS 081 281 562 620, fax: (021) 52921669, www.depkes.go.id website and e-mail address
Human infections with the H5N1 virus – while rare - are always a concern:
- Because of the high fatality rate among known cases
- And because each time the virus jumps from its normal (avian) host to a human (or other mammal), it gives it another opportunity to adapt and change.
Despite hundreds (perhaps thousands) of such opportunities, the virus remains poorly adapted to human physiology. It can produce severe illness – even death – but only rarely is transmitted on to another person.
For now, it is primarily a threat to poultry, and to a lesser extent, those who work with, or come in close contract with, poultry.
But as we discussed earlier this week in WHO: H5N1’s Pandemic Phase Status, the world remains in an ALERT phase for the H5N1, H7N9, and MERS-CoV virus.
The current WHO phase of pandemic alert for avian influenza A(H5N1) is: ALERT
