Health News
Indonesia confirms two new bird flu cases, death toll rises to 113
Dec 10, 2008, 9:10 GMT
Jakarta - A 2-year-old Indonesian girl died from bird flu, raising the country's world-leading death toll from the H5N1 virus to 113, while another 9-year old girl has been infected by the virus, the health ministry said Wednesday.
The girl from the Indonesian capital Jakarta died on November 29 after developing symptoms on November 18, ministry spokeswoman Lily Sriwahyuni said.
She said the girl was brought to Jakarta's Omni Medical Centre on November 26, before being sent to the Sulianti Saroso Hospital, which is designated to treat bird flu patients in the capital, on November 29. She died one day later.
A 9-year old girl from Riau province in eastern Sumatra also was infected by the virus, and brought to hospital five days later. She recovered on November 22, the health ministry said.
The latest victim brings the bird flu death toll in Indonesia to 113, from 139 diagnosed human cases of H5N1. Both figures are the highest in the world.
The most common way to contract the virus is through human contact with infected fowl. Bird flu remains chiefly an animal disease, but experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that could transmit between humans and spark a pandemic that could kill millions around the world.
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