Recombinomics: H5N1 Cluster in Tangerang Indonesian Neighborhood Grows

Commentary

H5N1 Cluster in Tangerang Indonesian Neighborhood Grows
Recombinomics Commentary 01:55
February 23, 2009

Two people Sepatan, Kabupaten Tangerang, Banten, West Java, is now treated at the Hospital General Regional Tangerang because presumed bird flu. The two presumed victims of avian influenza that is MS, 15 years old, and a five MH, 2 years old.

"The pain that they experience similar to bird flu, we conclude they are presumed," said the Head of Public Health Tangerang District Hani Haryanto told Tempo, Monday (23 / 2).

MS and MH began treatment in the isolation room bird flu Regional General Hospital Tangerang since three days ago. According to Hani, suspected bird flu because they suffer a high fever with hot Geruduk after the Village, Village Mekar Jaya, Sepatan, where they have dozens of live poultry that died earlier.

However, Hani said, not yet known whether the two people that previous contact with poultry or not. "But in the neighborhood where they live poultry that have died," he said.

The above translations describes a second suspect H5N1 in the same neighborhood as the earlier suspect case in Sepatan (see updated map). The two patients are about 10 miles from the confirmed fatal case, and follow reports of additional confirmed or suspect cases in or around Jakarta.

Although many of the patients have not been declared official cases, the clustering of these cases in Jakarta or neighboring locals, including Bogor raises concerns.

Indonesia has imposed a media blackout, and reports confirmed cases on a delayed basis. The delay is reflected in WHO updates, and continues to violate International Health Regulations. The latest confirmed cases from Indonesia were also from the Jakarta area. The January 22 WHO update described a Tangerang housekeeper (29F) who developed symptoms December 11 and died December 16. The second confirmed case (5F) was in the Jakarta suburb of Bekaski who developed symptoms December 23 and died January 22.. These reporting delays, as well as these more recent cases in Bogor and Tangerang continue to raise concerns about Indonesian reporting and WHO enforcement of these reporting delays.

The most recent cases are linked to confirmed or suspect clusters, which also increase concerns.

Timely reporting of these lab confirmed cases would be useful.

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