WHO Updates Egypt’s Avian Flu Count

 


# 3420

 

 

With the focus on the pandemic at hand, H1N1, our attention has been drawn away from avian influenza the past few months.    H5N1 bird flu still remains a serious problem, however, and the threat of it someday sparking a pandemic still exists.

 

Reporting from Indonesia this year has been non-existent when it comes to bird flu, although WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl recently stated that they WHO felt they had a `good handle’ on the situation there.

 

Egypt has reported 30 cases of human infection this year, with the details on the last 3 being published on the WHO website today.

 

These are old cases, going back several weeks, and we had already seen references to them in the Arabic press.   Reasons for the delay in posting this information have not been offered.

 

 

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 20

 

1 July 2009 -- The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported 3 new confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1).

 

The first case is a 1-year old male from Domiat Governorate. His symptoms started on 1 June 2009. He was admitted to hospital on 2 June, where he received oseltamivir treatment. The patient has recovered and was discharged on 9 June.

 

The second case is a 4-year old female from Dakhlia Governorate. Her symptoms started on 5 June 2009. She was admitted to hospital on 6 June, where she received oseltamivir treatment. The patient has recovered and was discharged on 14 June.

 

The third case is a 1-year old male from Kaleen District, Kefr El Sheikh Governorate. His symptoms started on 15 June 2009. He was admitted to Kefr El Sheikh Fever Hospital on 16 June 2009, where he received oseltamivir treatment, and is in a stable condition.

 

Investigations into the source of infection indicated that all three cases had close contact with dead and/or sick poultry.

 

The cases were confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories.

 

Of the 81 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 27 have been fatal.

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