Man's death pushes Indonesia's H5N1 fatality toll to 86

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Oct 1, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – Indonesia's health ministry announced today that a 21-year-old man who lived near Jakarta died of H5N1 avian influenza, according to media reports.

Joko Suyanto, an official from Indonesia's bird flu center, said the man, who lived in West Jakarta, died on Oct 28, Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported today. If the man's case is confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO), he will become Indonesia's 107th case-patient and its 86th death.

The man got sick on Sep 18 and was admitted to the hospital on Sep 25, Suharda Ningrum, an official at the bird flu center, said in a report today from Xinhua News, China's state news agency.

Health officials are conducting an investigation in the area where the man lived to determine if he had a history of contact with birds, Xinhua reported.

In January, government officials in Indonesia banned backyard poultry in the country's capital after a string of five H5N1 deaths among residents of Jakarta and its suburbs, according to a previous CIDRAP News report.

Indonesia has the world's highest number of H5N1 cases and deaths. The WHO's current global H5N1 count is 328 cases with 200 deaths.

See also:

Jan 19 CIDRAP News story "Asian countries struggle to contain avian flu"

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