Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The death toll in Indonesia from the H5N1 virus has risen to 55. The authorities have confirmed that a 27-year-old woman who died last week was infected with bird flu. This is the third recorded case in the past two days in the country, currently facing the highest death toll worldwide related to the disease.

Tontro, an official at the health ministry, said positive results from two Indonesian laboratories meant that the World Health Organization (WHO) included the case in its records.

The woman from Central Java province, identified as Mistiyem, developed the first symptoms of bird flu on October 8. Hospitalized four days later, she died on 13 October, according to a statement posted on the WHO website. WHO said the source of infection was currently under investigation. In the vast majority of cases, this is through contact with infected poultry. However experts fear that possible human-to-human transmission of the virus could trigger a pandemic claiming millions of lives.

Yesterday Jakarta confirmed another two deaths from bird flu: a 67-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy. The woman was suffering from encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, believed to be caused by the virus and the first case of its type in Indonesia.