Bird flu is complicated in Asia

Avian influenza is continuing to cause concern in Asia after Indonesia has more people died of bird flu and many are hospitalized for suspected infection. Meanwhile, Japan is also investigating the country's first case of suspected bird flu since 2004.

According to Dr. Muktar Iksan of Persahabatan Hospital in Jakarta, a 37-year-old woman confirmed to be infected with the H5N1 virus treated at the hospital died last night (11-1). An Indonesian government health official said the person fell ill after cooking and ate poultry bought from a local market on December 30.

Avian flu is causing concern in the world.In the photo : Turkish health workers gather poultry to be destroyed in a village in eastern Turkey last year (Photo: AP)

The patient had been treated in many places and was hospitalized on January 6 only and transferred to Persahabatan hospital on January 8. This is the 59th bird flu death in Indonesia - the country with the highest number of deaths from bird flu in the world.

Persahabatan Hospital also confirmed that it has received 4 suspected avian influenza patients. These people came from Tangerang, Banten and southern Jakarta. Previously, the hospital also treated 7 other people for the same reason, 2 of them were positive for avian influenza virus.

* Meanwhile in Japan, authorities are also concerned about the discovery of about 750 chickens at a farm in Miyazaki, Kyushu Island (southern Japan) suddenly died in two days 10, 11- 1 without reason.

Initial test results show that these chickens are positive for avian influenza virus, but the final results are only released tomorrow (13-1) or later. If confirmed, this will be the first case of bird flu in the country since 2004.

There have been no reports of infected people, but the ranch has been quarantined, and local authorities are investigating nearby farms and calling on people to restrict travel.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, if bird flu is found, they will destroy all 12,000 farmed poultry here.

* Concerned about the complicated evolution of bird flu, European Union (EU) health officials have decided to ban permanent bird trade throughout the EU . Under this ban, only birds born in captivity from authorized countries can enter the EU.

T.VY