JAKARTA, Sept. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The Indonesian ministry of health has twice examined the blood sample of a 6-year-old child, only identified as MT, for likely being infected by the bird flu, localmedia reported on Sunday.
I Nyoman Kandun, the ministry's director general for disease control and environmental improvement, said on Saturday that his team was conducting a further examination on the blood sample of the child, currently treated at Sulianto Saroso Hospital here since Sept. 14.
"The patient's serological test has shown that the virus is Avian Influenza but the child's PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is negative," he was quoted by official news agency Antara as saying.
As a result of the negative PCR result, Kandun said his team would conduct another PCR test.
MT was firstly hospitalized at Siloam Gleanegles in Tangerang district, Banten Province, but the hospital recommended that the ill-fated child be sent to Sulianto Saroso.
MT's condition got better though he should still be helped with respiratory equipment, Kandun said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari on Friday confirmed Indonesia's fourth human fatality from the bird flu after the WHO's laboratory in Hong Kong announced the results of tests on Rini Dina Prasetyaningsih.
Prasetyaningsing, 37, died last weekend. In July, Iwan Siswara and his two daughters also died of the virus. Enditem
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