Suspected bird flu patient dies

JAKARTA: A critically ill 68-year-old man suspected of being infected with bird flu died on Sunday after being treated in hospital for less than a week.

Sudarmaji died at the Sulianti Saroso Hospital for infectious diseases after being admitted on Sept. 30. He owned a chicken farm in Bogor, hospital staff said on Monday.

"We have yet to get the test results, but he showed similar symptoms to those of other confirmed bird flu patients," hospital head of information and bird flu surveillance Sardikin Giri Putro said.

Sudarmaji's body was wrapped in layers of plastic sheets and put in a coffin to contain the spread of the virus.

Sardikin said Sudarmaji died of acute pneumonia.

The hospital to date has treated 22 people suspected of having the virus.

The hospital previously discharged five patients after they tested negative for bird flu. The hospital said the patients were suffering from the common flu, lung or respiratory infections. The five, however, will be required to report to the hospital regularly after they return home to monitor their condition.-- JP