Indonesia News

From Antara News:  At least five suspected bird flu sufferers were admitted to the hospital for infectious disease early Tuesday between 5 p.m. Monday and early Tuesday morning.  They put them in isolation but are not sure they are suffering from bird flu.

11 suspected bird flu patients were under medical care at the hospital.  Ten of whom were being treated in the isolation unit.  An 11 month old baby named Hafid was being treated in ICU.  He tested negative for bird flu (we heard that one before) and his condition is deteriorating. 

Tuesday's admission of bird flu patients has brought the number of patients with similar symptoms to 138.  30 died while 11 tested positive for the deadly disease. 

138 patients currently hospitalized with BF. I see why USA is using the Indonesian strain for Version 2 Vaccine.

Do you have the link for this story!!!

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia's agriculture ministry would intensify avian flu surveillance by conducting door-to-door inspection to prevent further infection of the virus.

Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said here on Monday that the ministry conducted door-to-door inspection in Sumedang and Purwakarta districts in West Java recently.

It would launch similar activities to other regions prone to the avian influenza (AI) infection.

"We are trying to be proactive. Door-to-door inspection had been conducted in Purwakarta and Sumedang. Jakarta, Lampung and Central Java will be the next targets," Anton said on the sidelines of a coordinative meeting on people`s welfare.

For now on, Anton said, the ministry would focus on monitoring in Central and West Java because AI infection on poultry and human are mostly found in the provinces.

"Bird flu cases on poultry can still be found in West Java and Central Java according to the latest report we received," the minister continued.

In addition to the door-to-door inspection, the ministry has also stamped out infected poultry.

"Stamp out has been conducted in infected regions, but it did not cover a large area. This (stamp out) is no longer effective as we have an epidemic here," Anton said.

The government has given vaccination to poultry regularly to prevent wider infection of the type A sub type H5N1 influenza virus.

Until February 5, the authority has found 23 bird flu infection to human, 16 of them were ended to death.

The government has prepared National Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic to anticipate wider spread of the virus. (*)

Websters -

Pandemic - Epidemic over an esp. wide geographic area.

Funny - the next word is pandemonium.  How appropriate.

Not SS because?

A) 70% aren't dead yet
B) They don't have cavernous holes in thier flesh
C) Both
D) Some other reason