JAKARTA, 23 March 2006 - Indonesia Wednesday announced the possible emergence of eight cases of avian-influenza infection in humans. Following an outbreak in poultry, eight people on Indonesia`s Sulawesi Island have been tested for avian-influenza infection, but results have not yet been confirmed. Indonesian health officials were quick to stress that the tests were not a cause for concern.

'There are a lot of outbreaks in birds around the country,' World Health Organization representative in Indonesia, Georg Petersen, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. 'As long as we have a situation where the virus is endemic in the bird population, we will expect to see cases. Every human case is another opportunity for the development of a new virus.'

Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso hospital is currently treating four confirmed cases of avian-influenza infection. Four suspected cases were released last week after additional tests showed they were not infected with H5N1.

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