Another Indonesian girl dies of bird flu

JAKARTA - An eight-year-old Indonesia girl from Karawang of West Java died after catching avian influenza, bringing the total death toll to eight this year, Health Ministry said here on Friday.

The girl died on Tuesday in Jakarta after being treated in a hospital in the city since June 28.

She first got the symptom of fever on June 18 and five days later the girl went to a hospital in Karawang with symptoms of cough, fever and throat problem before she was transferred to a hospital in Jakarta.

She tested positive for H5N1 virus, which put the total death to 158 out of 190 cases since the viruses first attacked the country in 2005.

An investigation indicated that the girl had had contact with poultry as she on June 12 bought 5 chickens and cooked them. She also passed the market every day on his way to school.

Bird flu had attacked Indonesia, the hardest, since 2005, and then the attacks were eased significantly. But, it has reemerged since last year, killing nine people in 2011.

There were concerns over the bird flu attacks in the region following the reports of the death resulting from the virus in Indonesia, Cambodia, China and Vietnam.

Indonesian Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi said last month that the country was trying to produce bird flu vaccine to a sufficient level when the pandemic took place.