Bird flu scare in Asia again, Indonesian boy dies

Most human victims of bird flu have contracted the virus from infected birds, usually chickens, ducks or geese and there is usually a surge in cases during cooler months when the virus seems to thrive.

The 37-year-old Chinese man from the eastern province of Anhui kept backyard birds, but as in other human bird flu cases in China there was no reported poultry outbreak in the area, raising questions as to how he contracted the virus.

The man developed symptoms of fever and pneumonia early last month and was discharged from hospital on Saturday, the state-run Health News said.

8220;In China, the challenge is now to identify where this virus is hiding and how it is circulating,8221; Henk Bekedam, the WHO8217;s China representative, told Reuters.

China has reported 22 human cases, including 14 deaths, since 2003 and, with the world8217;s largest poultry population and millions of backyard birds roaming free, it is seen as a centre in the fight against the virus.