JAKARTA, Sept. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Six Indonesian people, including four children, have been admitted to a hospital for developing bird flu symptoms, spreading fears of a major outbreak of the deadly disease in the world's fourth most populous nation.
The six patients have been undergoing intensive treatment at the Sulianti Saroso Hospital, which is specialized for infectious diseases in North Jakarta, local online media Detikcom reported Tuesday.
The latest patient was a three-year-old child who suffers from high fever and respiratory problem, Dr. Sardikin Giriputro with the hospital was quoted as saying.
An employee with the Jakarta-based Ragunan Zoo, where several wild fowls are infected by the avian influenza, is also being treated at the hospital.
The government on Monday declared an "emergency situation" caused by the bird flu outbreak following the fourth human fatality and the growing number of patients with bird flu symptoms.
Under the status, people who show bird flu symptoms can be forcedly hospitalized with the government paying all financial expenses, Minister of Health Fadilah Supari said.
The government has allocated the equivalent of 15.8 million US dollars in anti-bird flu program but more funds will be needed, the minister said.
The Jakarta administration has temporarily closed the Ragunan Zoo after the discovery of infected birds and ordered all of its employees to undergo medical test. Enditem
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