Latest bird flu death in Indonesia: toll at 47
Laboratory test results show that a 14-year-old Indonesian girl died from bird flu three months ago, according to Indonesia’s health minister. This brings the country’s death toll to 47, the highest in the world.
The victim, identified as Akhira, a resident of the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, died June 24 after apparently being in contact with sick chickens, Siti Fadilah Supari said.
It is not clear why the test results are only now available. At the time of publication, this case has not yet been confirmed by the World Health Organisation.
The girl’s illness was Indonesia’s 61st confirmed case of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. Vietnam is the second worst affected country with 42 deaths out of 93 confirmed cases but has reported no new cases this year while Indonesia has had 36.
Bird flu is endemic in poultry in 29 of Indonesia’s 33 provinces, affecting tens of millions of birds.
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