Indonesia warns on avian flu epidemic

The Indonesian government is predicting that an outbreak of H5N1 virus could evolve into an epidemic. The country's health minister said that two children, ages 5 and 2, died of the disease at a Jakarta hospital. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says his government will take all necessary measures to contain the disease. Critics however, note the country's slow response to last year's tsunamis which killed over 200,000 people, as a possible warning sign that the local response may not be enough. Some are urging early international intervention. The World Health Organization official responsible for the Asia-Pacific region, Dr. Shigeru Omi, said his organization could theoretically deliver a supply of oseltamivir (tamiflu) to the area if it is needed to prevent a pandemic. 

- see this story from the Washington Post  

PLUS: The well-respected Jakarta Post notes that "something approaching panic seems to be taking hold across the country." Story

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