H5N1 Case in Riau Indonesia Confirmed
Recombinomics Commentary 15:31
December 9, 2008

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced two new confirmed cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. A 9-year-old female from Riau Province developed symptoms on 7 November and was hospitalized on 12 November. She recovered and was discharged from hospital on 27 November. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate poultry deaths at her home on 2 November.

It was not immediately clear why the WHO toll does not include a 15-year-old Indonesian girl in central Java whose doctor said she had died in early November. Presence of the virus had been confirmed in a health ministry lab, according to Agus Suryanto, head of the medical team treating the girl.

The above comments confirm an H5N1 case in Riau Province and question why a fatal infection of a 15F in central Java was not reported.  The WHO situation update also described confirmation of a fatally infected 2F from East Jakarta.

The 9F had been described by the local media, but the 2F was not.  However, there have been a large number of recent suspect cases and clusters in the local media, raising concerns over undercounts, as indicated in Reuter’s comment on the lab confirmed 15F.

The reporting of the two recent cases is a marked improvement over reports of earlier cases this year, which were delayed by weeks or months.   However, the steady stream of suspect cases or clusters in Indonesia and reports that 50% of poultry sold in Java was H5N1 positive create causes for concern.

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