Dead Riau Health Care Worker H5N1 Confirmed
Recombinomics Commentary
November 9, 2007
A hospital employee suspected of having bird flu died on Tuesday evening in Pekanbaru, Riau province after being treated for only a few minutes at Arifin Achmad Hospital.
The 31-year-old man, identified as MN, was employed on the administrative staff of Permata Hati Hospital in Duri district and was initially treated at that hospital.
Three days before checking into Permata Hati, MN came down with a high fever, dry cough and diarrhea.
His condition had been improving when fever returned together with seizures and the transfer to Arifin Ahmad was ordered.
Arifin Achmad spokesperson said upon arrival the patient was already in "terminal" condition. "We prepared the isolation ward for him ... and tried our best ...."
An uncle said he did not believe bird flu was the cause. He said MN had no poultry at his house. "He also had no contact with poultry recently."
the Patient who died in the Derah Public Hospital (RSUD) Arifin Achmad Pekanbaru, Muhammad Nabi (31), that was reconciliation from one of the clinics in the Thorn, Kabupaten Bengkalis, Riau, was stated by Balitbangkes Department of Health positive was infected by the bird flu virus.
Results of the sample research wiped off nose mucus and the throat as well as the patient's blood that were sent to Balitbangkes Department of Health menunjukan positive avian influenza, said Tim Doctor Penanggulangan Chairman of RSUD Arifin Achmad Bird Flu, Azizman Saad, in Pekanbaru, on Friday.
The above media report and translation confirm that the hospital employee who died this week was H5N1 positive. As noted in the earlier report, the victim had no recent contact with poultry and was on the administrative staff at the hospital in Duri, where he and his neighbor were initially treated.
Confirmation of H5N1 in a health care worker is cause for concern because such infections signal a more efficient transmission and may signal more unreported cases at the Duri hospital.
WHO and the Department of Health begin an investigation tomorrow amid media reports of a cover-up of cases.
More details on the reported deaths of patients and health care workers would be useful.
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