Jakarta (AsiaNews) A 17-year-old woman died today of the bird flu. Her death came at 11:45 local time, just a few hours after another young person succumbed to the disease. The two deaths give Indonesia the unenviable record as leader in bird flu mortality.
The young woman, Oki Jae Lina, is the 44th victim. She was taken to hospital in Sariasih, Tangerang Regency (Banten Province) last Friday with high fever and pneumonia.
A preliminary diagnosis pointed to bird flu infection, which was later confirmed by lung specialist Dr Tintin Martini.
She passed away only minutes before a medical team from North Jakarta-based Special Hospital for Virus-Infected Patients arrived to give help.
Oki lived in Kemayoran (central Jakarta) with her siblings and grandmother.