Indonesia reports new bird flu death
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-16 14:04

Indonesian local test showed a 13- year old girl, who died Sunday, was tested positive of bird flu, bringing the death toll to 13, an official told Xinhua in Jakarta Monday.

Hariadi Wibisono, a senior official with the Ministry of Health, said in telephone that the girl's 15-year old sister and three- year old brother also had been suspected of developing the bird flu symptoms. They are now being treated at a hospital in West Java province.

"The local test was positive. There are reported poultry deaths around their residence," said Wibisono, a director charged with eradicating animal-borne diseases.

The World Health Organization has confirmed 12 deaths of bird flu in Indonesia.

Five more patients were also tested positive of bid flu.

The girl died after being treated at a hospital in Indramayu regency in West Java province.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain is endemic in poultry in parts of Asia, which killed over 90 people worldwide and 41 of them died.