WHO confirms Indonesian bird flu death
Pastor Dale Morgan
WHO confirms Indonesian bird flu death*
From correspondents in Jakarta
June 10, 2007 03:07am
Article from: Reuters
THE World Health Organisation has confirmed the death of a Indonesian
girl from bird flu, taking the death toll from the virus in the country
to 79.
The 16-year-old was hospitalised on May 25 and died on May 29.
Worldwide, the virus has killed 189 people out of 310 known cases since
it re-emerged in Hong Kong in 2003.
Hundreds of millions of birds have died or been culled.
Initial tests usually take a day or two to confirm if someone has H5N1.
More detailed testing by government laboratories or those affiliated
with the WHO can take a week or more.
The H5N1 virus remains mainly a virus of birds, but experts fear it
could change into a form easily transmitted from person to person and
sweep the world, killing millions.
So far, most human cases can be traced to direct or indirect contact
with infected birds.
The WHO has not yet formally confirmed a death in Egypt on June 9.
Some 35 cases have now been confirmed to date in Egypt, 15 have been fatal.