Two more deaths from bird flu confirmed

Agencies, Jakarta

The Ministry of Health revealed on Monday the results of laboratory tests confirming that the deaths of an eight-year-old boy and a 39-year-old man were caused by the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.

"Tests conducted by our laboratory showed that both of them died after having contracted the (avian flu) virus," said Hariyadi Wibisono, who heads the directorate for the eradication of animal-borne diseases with the Ministry.

He referred to the two victims as a boy, who died last Thursday at a private Muslim hospital in Jakarta, and a South Jakarta resident, who died earlier on Tuesday after being admitted the previous day to the Sulianti Saroso Hospital in Sunter, North Jakarta.

Hariyadi, however, said that the World Health Organization- sanctioned laboratory in Hong Kong had yet to confirm the tests.

The ministry had sent samples of the victims' blood to the Hong Kong laboratory and currently it was awaiting confirmation as to whether or not the victims died of bird flu, he said.

If confirmed, the two would be the 10th and 11th fatalities from avian influenza in the country.

The country has had nine deaths from bird flu confirmed by the Hong Kong laboratory and five cases where patients have survived.

Scientists and experts have warned that although the highly pathogenic H5N1 strains remain essentially in birds, prolonged exposure and contact with sick birds could lead to the mutation of the virus into a form that could be easily passed on by humans and therefore put entire societies in great danger.

David Nabarro, the U.N. coordinator for bird flu, said there was no sign of human-to-human transmission in Indonesia. But with its high density of birds and humans, the Southeast Asian nation could later turn out to be the source of a pandemic.

"We are very worried it could happen (in Indonesia) ... The size and complexity of the country make the challenges very, very large." Nabarro was quoted by AP.

He also urged the government to take immediate measures to contain the virus from spreading.

"Act as though a pandemic influenza will start tomorrow. Don't think that we can wait around and not worry that it won't start for six months or one year. Once it starts it is too late to prepare," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie called on all parties in the community to take part in the massive program to stop the spread of the virus.

"Otherwise, we will witness devastation greater than that caused by the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome," he said.

In another development, a suspected bird flu patient, a resident of Pondok Gede in East Jakarta, was transferred to the Sulianti Saroso Hospital for further treatment on Monday.

The Sulianti Saroso Hospital is the country's main bird flu treatment center.

The 44-year-old patient had been hospitalized for five days at the city-owned Pondok Gede Hajj Hospital.

Spokesman for the Sulianti Saroso hospital Ilham Patu confirmed the transfer.