New Indonesian case of human infection with the H5N1 virus

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed a new case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The case is a 14-year-old female from Makassar, South Sulawesi Province. She developed symptoms on 18 June, was hospitalized on 23 June and died on 24 June. The case had contact with poultry near her home. This case was detected through the Ministry’s routine influenza surveillance system.

In addition to the above case and following the recent revision of case definitions for H5N1 infection, WHO is adding two cases in Indonesia, dating back to June and November of 2005. Inclusion of these two cases now aligns figures given for Indonesia in the WHO cumulative table of laboratory-confirmed cases with those officially issued by the Ministry of Health. Prior to the revision, the cases did not meet the WHO case definition for serologically confirmed avian influenza H5N1 infection.

The first retrospectively confirmed case was an 8-year-old female from Tangerang in Banten Province. She developed symptoms on 24 June 2005 and died on 14 July 2005. She was part of a family cluster reported to WHO in July 2005.

The second retrospectively confirmed case is a 45-year-old male from Magelang, Central Java Province. He developed symptoms on 25 November 2005 following direct contact with diseased poultry and subsequently recovered.

The retrospectively confirmed cases bring the total in Indonesia to 63. Of these cases, 48 have been fatal.