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FACTBOX: WHO figures for bird flu cases in humans

Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:15pm EST
 
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(Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on its Web site on Wednesday that a 28-year-old Indonesian woman from Tangerang, southwest of Jakarta, died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Indonesia, which has suffered the most number of human deaths from the H5N1 virus globally, has had 114 confirmed human cases of the disease.

Hundreds of millions of birds have died or been culled.

Following is a list of confirmed human cases of H5N1. Total cases include survivors.

Deaths Total cases AZERBAIJAN 5 8 CAMBODIA 7 7 CHINA 17 27 DJIBOUTI 0 1 EGYPT 15 38 INDONESIA 92 114 IRAQ 2 3 LAOS 2 2 NIGERIA 1 1 THAILAND 17 25 TURKEY 4 12 VIETNAM 46 100 ------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 208 338 -------------------------------------------------

Initial tests usually take a day or two to confirm if someone has H5N1. More detailed testing by government laboratories or those affiliated with the WHO can take a week or more.

The H5N1 virus remains mainly a virus of birds, but experts fear it could change into a form easily transmitted from person to person and sweep the world, killing millions.

So far, most human cases can be traced to direct or indirect contact with infected birds. (Writing by David Cutler and Keith Weir, London Editorial Reference Unit)

 

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