Indonesia confirms 8th human bird flu fatality

Indonesia confirms 8th human bird flu fatality

INDONESIA: A 25-year-old Indonesian woman who died four days ago has been confirmed by World Health Organization (WHO) tests as being the country's eighth bird flu victim, a health ministry official said Saturday.

"We've received the results" from the WHO testing laboratory in Hong Kong, and they were positive, official Hariadi Wibisono told AFP.

The victim, Sri Wahyuni, had earlier returned positive results to initial local tests for the deadly H5N1 avian influenza strain, which has killed at least seven other Indonesians and infected five who have survived.

Wahyuni, who was a housewife, was admitted to Sulianto Saroso Hospital, Indonesia's main facility for treating bird flu patients, on November 24 after being treated at a hospital on the outskirts of the capital for three days.

A hospital spokesman said six more patients being treated at the hospital were currently undergoing initial testing. -- AFP