VIVAnews - The death toll from bird flu in Indonesia remains the highest in Southeast Asia. As of 2003, 115 were recorded to have died of H5N1, which transmits virus from birds to humans.
The death toll in the archipelago was larger than in Vietnam, where the disease claimed the 52 lives. Jean Marc Olive, a Vietnam-based WHO official, said every country must be prepared because bird flu poses a larger and more serious threats each year.
The H5N1 virus normally infects people through poultry. However, "There is a real possibility that the virus will mutate and become easily transmissible between humans. If this occurs we could see the start of a new influenza pandemic," said Olive as quoted by Channelnews Asia on Tuesday, Feb 24.
The WHO and FAO said that, while it is still relatively difficult for humans to be infected by the H5N1 virus, about 50 percent of those infected die. "The avian influenza virus is also not currently able to spread easily between humans, but influenza viruses are known for their ability to mutate quickly and can become more adaptable to humans with dire consequences," the statement said.
Meanwhile, data from Bird Flu Command Post of the Department of Health recorded that as of 16 January 2009, bird flu cases on humans are no longer found in six provinces out of 12 provinces in Indonesia including Lampung, South Sulawesi, South Sumatra, East Java, North Sumatra and Bali.
Up until mid January 2009, according to data of the Department of Health, virus tranmission is involved with poultry to humans instead of humans to humans.
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Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono
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