Sumatra, IndonesiaSo far, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has killed only a limited number of people. Transmission remains within those who have had close and prolonged contact with infected birds.
However, in the past week, it has been reported that there has been seven fatal human cases of bird flu within the same family with a family member as a suspected eighth case. The recent deaths occurred in Sumatra, Indonesia. The World Health Organisation has reported that there was no sign of diseased poultry in the immediate area.
In such a circumstance, human to human transmission must be suspected though from reports it does not seem that an outbreak beyond the known victims has occurred. Will Sumatra be “ground zero” for pandemic human influenza?
From: New Scientist
Bird flu may have passed between family members (excerpt)
- 15:48 24 May 2006
- NewScientist.com news service
- NewScientist.com Staff and AFP
...Limited human-to-human transmission of bird flu may have occurred in an Indonesian family which lost seven members to the virus. But there is no evidence that it had mutated into an easily transmissible form, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
The seven fatal cases in north Sumatra – the largest human cluster of infections in Indonesia – caused heightened fears that the H5N1 virus had passed between people...
...A WHO spokesman said there was no sign of diseased poultry in the immediate area. Although human-to-human transmission could not be ruled out, the search for a possible alternative source of exposure continues...
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