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Jakarta Post

Toddler's death raises flu fears in West Java

A five-month old baby who died at Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java, may have been a victim of the H1N1 virus, doctors said Sunday

Yuli Tri Suwarni (The Jakarta Post)
Bandung
Mon, December 7, 2009 Published on Dec. 7, 2009 Published on 2009-12-07T12:35:06+07:00

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five-month old baby who died at Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java, may have been a victim of the H1N1 virus, doctors said Sunday.

The new death raises concern over the spread of the deadly virus in the province, where cases of H1N1 have been detected in many towns and cities.

The baby boy from Cimalaya in Karawang regency, West Java, was admitted to the hospital last Thursday evening and died two days later at 2:30 a.m.

The child, who was not named, had been diagnosed with pneumonia when the Efarina Etaham Hospital in Purwakarta transferred him to the Hasan Sadikin Hospital.

Primal Sudjana, a member of the medical team attending the victim, said the baby died after the critical three-day period.

"He was in critical condition before being transferred to us," Primal added.

According to medical records disclosed by the baby's parents, the baby ran a high fever and had respiratory problem since Nov. 25, 2009, and it was unclear whether he had contact with any animals.

Contact with a neighbor who had just returned from Jordan has been ruled out as a transmission possibility.

The team argued the neighbor returned after the baby started exhibiting symptoms, although the baby had no history of contact with birds or other poultry.

As he was less than two years old, the baby was not administered Tamiflu like other H1N1 and H5N1 influenza patients.

The baby instead received antibiotics and was placed on a ventilator.

West Java health office head Alma Lucyati said the death may have been caused by "another opportunist infection" because initial tests showed negative results for H1N1 and H5N1 infections.

"The tests should have been done at least three times," she said.

"This case is a warning for us to be prepared, especially during the current rainy season. The virus can attack anytime and anywhere," Alma added.

The H1N1 virus has hit 26 regencies and municipalities across West Java since August. By then, 65 cases of swine flu had been reported in the province. Local health authorities stopped recording H1N1 cases since August following the rapid spread of flu infections throughout the province.

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