Six suspected bird flu patients test negative; to be discharge

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Doctors at the Sulianti Saroso hospital for infectious diseases revealed on Sunday that they will discharge six patients they had previously suspected had bird flu on Monday.

They confirmed that the six had tested negative for the deadly virus.

Hospital spokesman Ilham Patu added that the tests were conducted at the laboratory of the Directorate General of Communicable Diseases Prevention at the Ministry of Health.

The hospital sent blood samples of 15 patients, but only the results of six of the suspected bird flu cases have been received.

"None of the six have the bird flu virus. They were suffering from other ailments like typhoid, respiratory problems, and common influenza," Ilham was quoted as saying by Antara.

According to Ilham, the six no longer had the symptoms of bird flu such as respiratory problem, cough and high fever,

Ilham said the condition of eight other patients was also improving.

Only one three-and-a-half-year-old patient was still receiving intensive treatment. The child still has a high fever.

The new patient was transferred from Pasar Rebo hospital in East Jakarta where he was hospitalized with a high fever on Oct. 7.

Ilham said that according to relatives, the child was seen playing with a dead chicken belonging to a neighbor before he got the fever.

Earlier on Wednesday, a 20-month-old infant, who was suspected to have contracted avian influenza, died of acute pneumonia after being treated for three days at the Sulianti Saroso hospital.

The boy was taken on Oct. 2 by his family, who live in Semper, North Jakarta, to the hospital with a high temperature and respiratory problems.

The boy was moved to the intensive care unit on Oct. 3, but his condition worsened. He died at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

So far, three confirmed bird flu patients have died at the Sulianti Saroso hospital since August, not including the boy, who was not confirmed to have bird flu.