Maluku (Reuters) – A mysterious bout of bird flu has struck Maluku and Papua with a vengeance, killing hundreds in these two locations which have traditionally not been part of the pattern of disease cases since its outbreak.
Abdul Wanandi, head of the Doctors without Borders chapter in Indonesia, said “I have never seen anything like this on such a massive scale."
Indonesia has experienced just over 66 cases over the last few years, but the hundreds of reports over the last 8 hours or so suggest that the disease may have mutated to being able to spread between humans.
“We have been warning the international community that the strain could mutate and evolve, and we should try to nip it in the bud. This is a really serious issue and the WHO would be available at the Indonesian government’s request to help with quarantine procedures," said the head of the WHO Margaret Chan.
