I was rather taken back when I read about the latest Avian Flu (H5N1) death in Indonesia last week. The Ministry of Health of Indonesia announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. It was a 34-year-old female from South Jakarta District. She developed symptoms on 25 May 2010, was hospitalized on 27 May and died on 1 Jun 2010. Laboratory tests were positive for H5N1 virus infection.
Wow! That is a pretty amazing illness to think that your exposure is from manure used in a plant nursery. Of course it is a likely source of the virus and a power contaminant, likely in the dust…but you don’t imagine that gardening could kill you.
Of the 166 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 137 have been fatal.
- This is only the 4th case and 3rd death reported in Indonesia so in 2010.
- Overall it brings the global total of cases of avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection to 500, and the death toll to 296.
- The fatality rate in Indonesia now stands at 83 percent, compared with the global rate of 59 percent.