I was going to write something on this continuing hype over bird flu. The country of the day is Indonesia, now being touted as the “hardest hit,” and surpassing even Vietnam in its death rate. I was about to make fun of the news, you know, for acting like the bubonic plague has swept the nation.

But it seems, that bird flu is rapidly decimating the population of Indonesia. The 51st victim just died. This is from the International Herald Tribune:

A 9-year-old boy died from bird flu just hours after being admitted to a hospital in Indonesia, becoming the 51st confirmed fatality in the country worst hit by the virus, a senior Health Ministry official said Monday.

Indonesia, a sprawling island nation of more than 220 people, has attracted international criticism earlier this year for not doing enough to stamp out the virus in its vast poultry stocks.

So if Indonesia really only has 220 people (give or take) then 51 people dead is quite a chunk.

I thought Indonesia had a larger population. Either that, or the Herald needs to get a new copyeditor.