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Suspected bird flu patients isolated
Andi Hajramurni and Suherdjoko , The Jakarta Post , Makassar, Semarang | Sat, 11/15/2008 10:59 AM | The Archipelago
The Wahidin Sudirohusodo regional hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi, is continuing to isolate 17 patients of Biringkanaya district believed to have bird flu.
"Generally the patients are getting better," spokesperson for the hospital's bird flu team, Halik Saleh, said Friday.
Apart from a 2 year old named Ilham, the body temperatures of all other patients have returned to below 38 degrees Celsius.
"We are continuing to observe their progress, particularly because some poultry has tested positive to bird flu contamination," Halik said.
As a precaution, the hospital has been restricting staff and family members from visiting the patients in an effort to prevent any possible outbreaks of the disease.
The hospital, he said, is still waiting for the results of blood tests from the Health Ministry.
An initial test of all the patients' blood has indicated the presence of the avian influenza virus, H5N1. The same test by the micro laboratory of Hasanuddin University's School of Medicine in Makassar indicated the same results.
Halik said the hospital had decided not to use them as an indicator or reference for the illness.
"The only results we will refer to in order to treat our patients will be those from the laboratory of the health ministry's research and development center," he said.
The head of the Makassar Health Agency Naisyah Tun Azikin said all the samples required for testing had been sent to Jakarta on Thursday and Friday. The results should be known within a week.
Naisyah said in anticipation of a possible increase in suspected bird flu cases, his office had prepared two additional hospitals to treat them.
"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), none were admitted today," Naisyah said Friday.
A team of representatives from various government institutions culled 61 birds on Friday from Sudiang subdistrict where all the patients came from.
Nurmayanti, from the government team, said the culling was carried out over three consecutive days and had destroyed a total of 167 birds.
She said the team would continue culling the area within a one-kilometer radius to ensure there was no poultry left alive within the region.
Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java, authorities have closed three chicken abattoirs in Gayamsari district.
The closures were made by local residents after 15-year old Dewi Sartika died Tuesday from bird flu.
Chairman of Siwalan Community Empowerment Institution Agus Supriyoto said residents, including Dewi's parents Sarjono and Sri Yakin, misinterpreted their daughter's symptoms as ordinary fever.
They were unaware it was bird flu until staff from the provincial and municipal health agencies informed them Tuesday. The following day they held a meeting discussing poultry culling in the region, where many of the 500 families reside there keep birds as pets.
"We carried out the culling Thursday," said Agus.
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Josh (not verified) — Tue, 11/18/2008 - 9:23am
I do not understand your comment shaming the WHO. What exactly do you expect from this international body that is working tirelessly to prepare for and respond to influenza pandemics?
Ciprian Pater (not verified) — Mon, 11/17/2008 - 4:47am
I must publicly give gratitude towards the work that the staff at Jakarta Post make, at this point in time I find myself dependent on their good effort in revealing the important news about the Bird Flu developments.
The situation in Makassar is highly unstable, in the last article The head of the Makassar Health Agency praised God, that no more people were admitted with symptoms, and I very much agree on that one. But I cannot help to wonder, if that really is the case, and if the second test-round will show that all first 17 admitted do in fact have the H5N1 virus. But if that is the case some among the 17 should get worse soon.
What was said about the first tests: “the hospital had decided not to use them as an indicator or reference for the illness.” Is for me a mystery, are they not treating the 17 with antivirals yet? And has there been a house to house door visit in the area were the 17 came from to see if more people there are sick without giving notice?
These are all questions I have been speculating about a great deal during the last 4-5 days.
Thanks again to The Jakarta Post
And Shame be to the WHO
Praise be unto God for our survival.
Epidemiologist (not verified) — Sun, 11/16/2008 - 1:09pm
I think the government has failed to put an end to bird flu in Indonesia. All Supari's heroic actions (don't forget the book) does not bring good to Indonesian people at large. Is it time for the world to change? May be. Is it time for Indonesia to change? Obviously.
Kobie (not verified) — Sat, 11/15/2008 - 7:15pm
Thank you for the additional information as well as how the patients are. To hear about a bird flu team and that patients where isolated from families lets people know what to expect.
All of this is very new to people so there is much to learn and read about.
Please post more.
KObie
bird flu blogs and info http://www.newfluwiki2.com/frontPage.do