January 3, 2006

Indonesian man might have died of bird flu

Indonesian health officials said a 39-year-old man died recently after showing bird flu symptoms.

Spokesman Ilham Patu of Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso hospital said tests were still ongoing to determine if he died of the disease. If confirmed, the man would be Indonesia's 12th human death due to the H5N1 virus.

Patu added that the man had a history of contact with live and dead chickens.

The man came from Tangerang town south-west of Jakarta. Bird flu outbreaks were reported in Tangerang late last year.

Meanwhile, health ministry official Hariyadi Wibisono said a 48-year-old man from Central Java who died recently had tested negative for the disease, although he had earlier showed bird-flu like symptoms.