Another bird flu family cluster confirmed

An Indonesian woman whose brother died of bird flu this month is also sick with the virus, a senior Health Ministry official said today, confirming the country’s latest family cluster of infections.

The 21-year-old woman is being treated in a hospital in Surabaya city in east Java province, said Nyoman Kandun. Her 11-year-old brother died from bird flu on September 18. He was suspected of contracting the virus from infected chickens close to his house.