The Indonesian Minister of Health, Mr. Hariadi Wibisono, has confirmed two additional fatalities due to avian influenza, bringing the total number of victims to seven.
Final tests on the two victims (a woman and a girl who died earlier this month) revealed positive results for the H5N1 virus. It is reported that both cases were infected through direct contact with dead chickens.
Previously, Mr. Wibisono also stated that Indonesia had the latest two cases of infection involving two women aged 16 and 20. However, he did not provide further details.
Since the outbreak of avian influenza began in Asia in December 2003, there have been a total of 69 fatalities across the following countries: China (3), Vietnam (42), Thailand (13), Cambodia (4), and Indonesia (7).
Avian influenza has also spread to several countries in Europe and the Middle East, but no infections or deaths have been reported there. The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned that the virus could mutate into a strain capable of human-to-human transmission in Asia, as the local population has a habit of living closely with poultry.
KINH LUÂN (According to BBC NEWS)
