Suspected Bird Flu Outbreak In Indonesia

Bird flu scare is looming large yet again. A suspected bird flu outbreak in Indonesia has forced the officials to slaughter hundreds of chickens and ducks. Meanwhile, 13 people with flu-like symptoms await laboratory results.

World Health Organisation (WHO) officials have arrived in the village of Air Batu in North Sumatra in order to help in the investigations of a possible outbreak of bird flu. The flu suspicion arose when three residents died suddenly last week.

An official, Suhadi told AFP, “They will be in the village of Air Batu for two days to investigate the source of the suspected bird flu virus in the area and to check on the death of three people in the village.”

400 birds have already been slaughtered and burnt as officials continue to spray backyard coops with disinfectants. Work is in full swing to sterilize the village. 13 people have been hospitalized so far with complaints of fever and respiratory problems.

Adam Malik, hospital spokesman Sinar Ginting, said, “The two patients with suspected bird flu have recovered and are in normal condition. But as we haven’t received results from the laboratory, they remain in the isolation room.” The health ministry has still not confirmed the latest suspected outbreak. Moreover, it has stopped providing information to the public on a regular basis about the human bird-flu deaths.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has already taken 240 lives across the globe since late 2003. It spreads from the bird to human beings through direct contact. But it is feared that the virus can mutate into a form whereby it can get transmitted to the humans very easily. This can take millions of lives worldwide.