The Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that two more Indonesians have died of avian influenza, bringing the country’s total number of bird flu fatalities to 115.
The ministry said that the two deaths occurred in Tangerang, Banten Province, and Bekasi, West Java Province.
Sut, a 29-year-old woman from Tangerang, died on Dec. 1, 2008, after suffering from flu-like symptoms for four days, while a 6-year-old girl identified as Nad from Bekasi died on Jan. 2, apparently after contact with sick chickens in a market. Both of them suffered from symptoms including high fever, cough and labored breathing.
The Ministry of Health’s Research and Development Section has confirmed that the two victims died of the H5N1 virus.
Indonesia has recorded the highest number of fatalities caused by bird flu in the world. Since outbreaks were first detected in Asia in 2003, the disease has killed more than 240 people worldwide.
The ministry denied accusations that it was trying to obscure the actual number of bird flu fatalities in Indonesia.
“We never try to cover up the real situation of bird flu in Indonesia, but there are some procedures to be done before we can publish the statistics,” said Iwan Muljono, the ministry’s director of communicable diseases.
Iwan said tissue samples from each suspect must undergo laboratory testing twice before the ministry was able to declare whether or not the death had been caused by bird flu.
He said only the director general of communicable diseases or the health minister are authorized to make statements confirming the cases.
“There were too many speculations out there. That is why we only release the information through one door,” he said.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Lily Sulistyowati, said that the ministry would only release an update on bird flu victims during certain times. “We will not announce deaths caused by bird flu one by one. Otherwise, it would feel like we’re racing to get the highest number of victims,” she said.
In a bid to curb the spread of bird flu, the government built special facilities in 100 hospitals throughout the country.
The report said that up to mid-January, bird flu had affected a total of 12 provinces, and declared that there was still no proof the virus had been transmitted from human to human.
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/city/article/7073.html 
