Avian Influenza virus has hit Indonesia killing three people with 13 others admitted to hospital with symptoms. Residents in Asahan district of North Sumatra province say last week, villagers began showing symptoms of avian flu after a large number of chickens died suddenly. A baby boy and a seven year old girl were transferred early this morning to a bird flu isolation unit at Adam Malik hospital in the provincial capital of Medan.
A spokesperson at the hospital, Sinar Ginting confirmed that blood samples from the two children when tested revealed the virus. The Ministry, which has stopped giving regular bird flu updates, announced earlier this week that the human toll from avian influenza in Indonesia has risen to one hundred and 12 with the recent death of a 19 year old man. Indonesia is the worst hit country by the deadly H5NI strain of bird flu, which can be passed from bird to human.
