Indonesia: 2 more patients infected with bird flu

Indonesian Minister of Health Siti Fadillah Supari yesterday announced that two more Indonesians were identified with bird flu. Both are still alive. With these two new patients, Indonesia has a total of 83 infected people, including 63 deaths.

British veterinary staff wear protective clothing when carrying out killing poultry - (Photo: AP)

Supari Minister did not give detailed information about the identities or hometowns of the two patients as well as whether they were exposed to infected poultry. She just said they were both alive, even describing one of them as "very strong ".

* The same day, the British Health Protection Agency (HPA) said a veterinarian in the country is being tested for bird flu after symptoms of infection. The employee used to work at Bernard Matthews ranch in Holton, Suffolk, which was confirmed last week by an outbreak of bird flu. This person indicates that he or she has breathing problems and is being examined.

Previously, a veterinarian working at this farm was tested for H5N1 virus after symptoms of the disease. The results then identify the person negative for avian influenza virus.

So far British authorities have killed 2,500 chickens at a chicken farm in Suffolk to prevent bird flu from spreading. 160,000 other poultry are also being killed and veterinary officials are setting up a 'protection zone' around the camp.

T.VY