"A major infection source [for humans] is the markets," he said. "But the government for some reason cannot apply the concept here."
Bird flu in Indonesia first grabbed the world's attention in May when seven members of a single family died of the virus -- the largest recorded cluster to date.
The WHO concluded that limited human-to-human transmission likely occurred, but the virus did not spread beyond blood family members.
Despite Indonesia's woes, there is no evidence suggesting a widely feared -- and hyped -- human-to-human pandemic that could kill millions of people will originate here.
"No one is saying a pandemic could be in one country over another -- no one knows for sure," Petersen said. "It's a worldwide phenomenon, almost. Where a pandemic will start is anyone's guess."
That might give Indonesia some comfort as it stands alone atop the current fatality list.
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