Concerns over a new case in Indonesia
August 16th, 2006
A cousin of the latest recorded bird flu case in Indonesia died more than a week ago and it is now revealed that he presented flu symptoms. A 17 year old teenager from West Java’s Garut district is refusing hospital treatment and is the country’s 57th confirmed case. Health authorities claim this highlights a need for more medical equipment. Garut’s health office’s chief, Iman Firmanulah, has told reporters that the young man’s cousin Misbah died on August 6th after exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Both of them had come into contact with dead poultry but Misbah was buried before researchers had the chance to test him for bird flu. A positive diagnostic cannot be made now but his symptoms were very similar to those of bird flu patients. Members of the man’s family are now being tested for avian influenza.