REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Minister of Health, Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, said that no swine flu cases in Indonesia. The latest case in Tangerang, she said, was caused by the influenza type A virus.

“It is not swine flu since the new virus is a combination of flu virus on bird, swine, and human,” she said on Friday. 

The swine flu outbreak in October 2009 infects 440 thousand cases in the world. In the early 20120, the case spreads in 214 countries. There are 18,449 patients dies caused by the flu by August 6 2010. Then the World Health Organization declares the swine flu pandemic officially over.  

“The flu is considered as common flu since then. But I admit, the virus type in Indonesia is the most malignant one. We do not know the cause it yet,” Sedyaningsih said.

According to the head of Research and Development in the Ministry, Trihono, his division used to develop virus cell culture, to allow further research on the virus. “If a pandemic occurs, we will prolong the dose or add some extra medicines,” he said.  

There are 193 suspect of swine flu cases occur in Banten in 2005-January 2012. Among them 31 cases –28 patients of them-- is considered positive of H5N1. 

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