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Bird Flu Updates: Egypt & Indonesia

 

 


# 5366

 

 

For the third time in in eleven days we’ve an update from the World Health Organization on new H5N1 infections reported by the Ministry of Health in Egypt.

 

This time, two more cases are added (making 11 for the year), and we are updated on a previous case with a fatal outcome.

 

My thanks to Lisa at CIDRAP for the early morning head’s up on this update.

 

 

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 46

10 March 2011 - The Ministry of Health of Egypt has announced two new confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus and the death of a previously announced case.

The first case is a 17 year old female from Behira Governorate. She developed symptoms on 27 February and was hospitalized on 1 March. She is in a stable condition.

The second case is a 17 year old female from Dakahlia Governorate. She developed symptoms on 24 February and was hospitalized on 26 February. She died on 28 February.

Investigations into the source of infection indicate that the both cases had exposure to sick and dead poultry. Both cases received oseltamivir treatment.

The cases were confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory, a National Influenza Center of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network.

The previously reported case, a 32 year old female from Sharkia Governorate (see update 45), died on 3 March.

Of the 129 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 43 have been fatal.

Sharon Sanders, Editor of FluTrackers, maintains a handy list of human cases reported in Egypt, with links to sources here.

 

Meanwhile, we continue to see a good deal of media buzz about suspected bird flu cases in Indonesia – including a number of people in isolation – but so far no official confirmation of recent human H5N1 infections.

 

For those interested in following these individual reports, FluTrackers has an ongoing thread on the reports out of Padang HERE, while the Flu Wiki  maintains an Indonesian reports thread HERE.

 

While I don’t attempt to document every suspected case reported in the media, should we get any major developments I’ll certainly report them in this blog.

 

Although we continue to see isolated human infections, for now H5N1 is primarily a threat to poultry.

 

The virus remains poorly adapted to human physiology, and despite ample opportunities in places like Egypt and Indonesia, only causes rare, sporadic infections.

 

The concern, of course, is that over time that may change.  And so the world remains at Pre-pandemic Phase III on the H5N1 virus, and we continue to watch for signs that the virus is adapting to humans.

 

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