Avian Flu Update

There have been some significant developments of late, regarding the potent H5N1 flu strain. Healthcare officials have warned that human-to-human transmission of the so-called bird flu virus would have disastrous global health-care ramifications. Let's hope that no such transmission has occurred in Indonesia.

Jakarta - Tests have confirmed that two more people have died of bird flu in Indonesia, says a senior health ministry official.

One of the victims belonged to a Sumatran family at the centre of fears of human-to-human transmission after six members of the family died this month of bird flu.

Nyoman Kandun, director-general of communicable disease control at the health ministry, said: "One man from the same Sumatra cluster died this morning. He is the father of the child who died on May 13.

Read the full story here.


This is being reported out of Romania:

Bucharest - About 13 000 people were quarantined in the Romanian capital on Monday as troops and police sealed off streets in response to the city's second bird-flu outbreak, said officials.

The mayor of the southern fourth district, Adrian Inimaroiu, said residents would be cut off and all businesses in the area would be closed during the quarantine period of up to three weeks.

Story here.