The Ministry of Health in Indonesia confirmed on Thursday a further human case of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, said the World Health Organization (WHO).

The case, in an 8-year-old boy, was confirmed as positive for H5N1 infection by a WHO reference laboratory in Hong Kong, and the boy remains in hospital for observation and treatment, the United Nations health agency said in a statement.

WHO said current investigations in Indonesia have produced no evidence that the H5N1 virus is spreading easily from person to person, so it has not raised its current level of pandemic alert.

But the agency said it will continue to monitor the situation closely. "Given the experience of other H5N1 affected countries in Asia, the detection of further human cases in Indonesia or elsewhere would not be surprising," WHO said.

Since mid-2003, Indonesia has experienced outbreaks of avian influenza in its poultry population. Prior to the new case announced today, two human cases of H5N1 infection have been laboratory confirmed in Indonesia, one in July and another in September.

Laboratory confirmation of cases in Indonesia has led to heightened public concern, intensified surveillance for further cases, and strengthened government commitment to contain the disease.

In all affected countries, most human cases of H5N1 infection have been linked to contact with poultry. In a few instances, limited human-to-human transmission of the virus may have occurred following close contact with a patient during the acute phase of illness.

"In all known instances, such transmission has been limited and has not led to larger outbreaks in the general community, indicating that the virus does not spread easily among people at this time," said WHO.

WHO has sent all countries a document outlining recommended strategic actions for responding to the avian influenza pandemic threat.

Source: Xinhua