Monday, December 28, 2009

Egypt Reports H5N1 Bird Flu Case in 21-Year Old Woman (38th Case in 2009)

By: Lisa Schnirring
CIDRAP News

Dec 21, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – Egypt's health ministry has confirmed an H5N1 avian influenza infection in a 21-year-old woman, the country's third case since late September, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.


The woman, from El Tanta district of Gharbia governorate, in northern Egypt, got sick with a fever and cough on Dec 15 and was admitted to the hospital the same day, where she was treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu). She is in stable condition, the WHO reported. She is listed as Egypt's 90th WHO-confirmed H5N1 case, of which 27 have been fatal.


An investigation into the source of her infection revealed that the woman had close contact with dead poultry and had helped slaughter sick birds.


Egypt's Central Public Laboratories, one of the WHO's national collaborating centers, confirmed the case.


The country so far has recorded more H5N1 cases in 2009 than any other. Of 52 cases reported internationally, 38 were from Egypt. Of those Egyptians who were infected, only four died.


Egypt's latest case confirmation raises the global H5N1 tally to 447 cases, of which 263 have been fatal.



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