WHO, govt probe deaths of man, daughter<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health have
\nlaunched an investigation into the deaths of a father and his
\ndaughter from respiratory problems following media reports that
\nthe two died from bird flu.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health's Director General of Communicable
\nDisease Control Nyoman Kandun stated on Wednesday that the two
\ndied of an unspecified bacterial infection, not the H5N1 bird flu
\nvirus as reported earlier by Metro TV.<\/p>\n
WHO epidemiologist Gina Samaan revealed that tests were still
\nbeing conducted on the pair, but she \"doubted\" it was bird flu as
\nthe two had not been in contact with poultry before they died,
\nAssociated Press reported on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Iwan Siswara Rifei, 37, an employee of the Supreme Audit
\nAgency (BPK) died at Siloam Gleneagles Hospital in Karawaci,
\nTangerang, on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
His eldest daughter, Thalita Nurul Azizah, 10, died earlier on
\nSaturday at the Harapan Kita Hospital, West Jakarta, from similar
\nrespiratory problems.<\/p>\n
Younger daughter Sabrina Nurul Azizah, 8, is suffering from
\nthe same symptoms and is being treated in the intensive care unit
\nof the Siloam Gleneagles Hospital.<\/p>\n
The Tangerang regental health agency denied media reports that
\nthe pair died of either avian influenza or the deadly Severe
\nAcute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).<\/p>\n
An agency official, Naniek Isnaeni, said that the hospital's
\ndoctors had diagnosed the father and daughter as suffering from
\nsevere pneumonia.<\/p>\n
\"The symptoms are indeed similar to SARS. But while SARS can
\nkill its victims within several days, the members of this family
\nhave been suffering from the disease for a month,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Siloam Gleneagles Hospital's medical director, Anastina, said
\nthat based on laboratory tests, \"they were suffering from
\npneumonia\".<\/p>\n
Naniek said that the case is now in the hands of the health
\nministry.<\/p>\n
\"The communicable disease control directorate unit will
\nconduct further investigations to confirm the cause of death. The
\nresults will be announced within three days.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue to monitor the condition of the remaining
\nfamily members,\" she added.<\/p>\n
The family lives in Serpong district, Tangerang.<\/p>\n
SARS and the bird flu virus -- which has also jumped to humans
\n-- have spread across Asia over the last two years, killing
\nhundreds of people in the region.<\/p>\n
Several isolated cases were diagnosed in Indonesia, but no
\nfatalities have been recorded thus far.<\/p>\n
Millions of poultry have died or been culled here to prevent
\nthe spread of bird flu virus, which killed at least 51 people in
\nVietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Last month, Indonesia reported its first human case of bird
\nflu in a poultry worker, but the man did not develop symptoms and
\nis currently healthy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/who-govt-probe-deaths-of-man-daughter-1447893297",
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