B

andung: An official at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung,West Java, confirmed on Sunday that a patient, identified only as A, 42, died on Saturday evening after having been treated for bird flu symptoms since Feb. 29 at the hospital’s Flamboyan isolation room.

“The team of doctors pronounced him dead at 10:10 p.m. last night,” spokesman for avian flu control with the hospital, Primal Sudjana said, adding that the patient suffered multiple organ failure as his kidneys, respiratory system and liver malfunctioned. According to Primal, the patient was in a severe condition upon his admission to the hospital.

The patient had been treated previously at the Ujung Berung Hospital and later the Emmanuel Hospital, both also in Bandung. “As his condition worsened, he was transferred to the [Hasan Sadikin]hospital,” Primal was quoted by Antara.

Early last month, a 37-year-old newspaper vendor, SA, suspected of being infected with bird flu died after being isolated for more than 30 hours at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital.

In January, two residents of Tangerang who died at the Tangerang General Hospital (RSUD) were also suspected of being infected with bird flu.  (dmr)