12 January 2007

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country´s 59th death from H5N1 avian influenza. The 38 year old woman from Tangerang, Banten Province whose infection was announced on 9 January, died in hospital on 11 January 2007.

The Ministry of Health has also confirmed a new case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The 22 year old woman from Banten Province developed symptoms on 3 January 2007 and remains in hospital. An initial investigation into the source of her exposure found reports of chicken deaths near her home in the days prior to symptom onset.

Of the 77 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 59 have been fatal.