Jakarta chicken vendor has bird flu -ministry

JAKARTA (Reuters) – An Indonesian chicken seller in Jakarta
is in hospital after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu
virus according to local test results, a senior Health Ministry
official said on Wednesday.

Hariadi Wibisono, director of control of animal-borne
diseases at the ministry, said the 22-year-old man was being
treated in a Jakarta hospital designated for bird flu patients.

“Local tests show he was positive for bird flu. He is a
chicken vendor in a traditional market,” Wibisono said, adding
blood samples had been sent to a Hong Kong laboratory
recognized by the World Health Organization for confirmation.

Indonesia has had 14 confirmed deaths from bird flu and
five cases where patients have survived.