Another Suspect H5N1 Cluster in Riau Indonesia
Recombinomics Commentary
November 9, 2007
A baby, 8 months old, initials MG, is treated, suspected for bird flu in Pekanbaru Hospital, , RSUD Arifin Achmad, Riau Sumatra.
The child has high fevers , 40 celsius, difficulty with breathing. Admitted in this hospital at 11 / 8; coming from another hospital: Permata Hati in Duri.
It is a neighbour of Muhammad Nabi who died recently, who is confirmed positive now. Report says it is known the baby had contact with Muhammad.
Samples are taken for testing in Jakarta Laborarory from Ministry of Health.
The above summary translation of local media reports on patients in Riau in the north Sumatra region of Indonesia continues to suggest that the efficiency of transmission of H5N1 to humans in Indonesia is increasing.
Neither of the above cases has been officially confirmed, but local media indicates that one (MN) has been confirmed locally. This fatal case was an employee at the hospital where confirmed H5N1 patients were recently treated (earlier two additional HCW's were suspected cases). The WHO confirmed cases in Indonesia have been clustering in Riau, and in Tangerang (the four most recent confirmed cases, 12M, 5M 3M, 30F, were from Tangerang), which is adjacent to Jakarta.
Recently, there was a suspect cluster in Riau. The index case died with bird flu symptoms, but was not tested. Her daughter also died and initial media reports indicated she tested positive locally. However, H5N1 was not confirmed in addition test(s), so neither fatal infection is listed as an official case.
The latest cluster from Riau involves neighbors. Thus, there are two suspect cluster involving four patients and three of the four have died.
More detail on these suspect cases which form suspect clusters would be useful.
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