New Bird Flu Death In Indonesia

Indonesia has had the largest amount of bird flu fatalities in the world

Breaking news from Indonesia is that a man from the western area of the capital Jakarta has recently died from the bird flu virus. This means that the number of people to have passed away from the H5N1 virus in Indonesia has reached 86 according to official Health Ministry figures.

Health officials in Indonesia are still trying to establish how the 21 year old man came into contact with the virus especially as there has been a complete ban in the city of Jakarta on keeping birds in backyards at home. Most humans who have contracted the bird flu virus have done so by being in close contact with infected birds. In third world countries like Indonesia where families tend to live in close contact with their animals the chances of them contracting the disease from sick animals is far greater.

Unfortunately for this particular man he had been sick for number of days before he was eventually hospitalised. Doctors said by the time he was brought to hospital it was just too late and they were unable to save him despite giving him doses of the very effective bird flu medications Tamiflu.

Research has shown that the earlier that the patient is given Tamiflu the greater the chances of that patients surviving from the deadly virus. Ideally say Roche Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the influenza medication, the patient should be given Tamiflu in the first 24 hours of contracting the illness and definitely within the first 48 hours.

Indonesia has had the largest amount of bird flu fatalities in the world and many people say that is because it is so common to find families living with poultry in their backyards in this country. Only twenty one people in Indonesia have contracted the bird flu illness and actually survived from it by using the Tamiflu influenza drug.