Bird flu has resurfaced in parts of Asia, with human deaths reported in Indonesia and China along with Myanmar confirming its first case and fresh poultry outbreaks plaguing other countries during the winter months when the virus typically flares.
Indonesia, the country hardest hit by the H5N1 virus, announced its 93rd death on Friday. A 47-year-old man fell ill on December 2 and was admitted to a Jakarta hospital with flu-like symptoms, but he died on Thursday, Health Ministry spokesman Joko Suyono said. The man was the 115th Indonesian infected with the disease.
WHO also confirmed that Myanmar experienced its first human case when a seven-year-old girl from the eastern Shan State became ill on November 21 in an area where poultry outbreaks had earlier been reported. She was hospitalised and has since recovered. The WHO hailed the secretive country for its transparency and swift action in alerting outside officials. ( Gulf )