3 dead, 7 infected with Bird Flu in Egypt this year: Health Ministry

While many countries of the world are gripped by fear of the Ebola Virus, the spread of Avian Flu, particularly the A/H5N1 strain of the virus, has increasingly alarmed Egyptians this week.

On Wednesday, Egypt’s Health Ministry issued a press release confirming that seven individuals have been infected with the Avian Flu this year, while three have died as a result of coming into contact with it. In this week alone, two individuals are reported to have died from this strain of the virus.

According to the ministry, a 30-year-old woman, from the town of Bani Mazar in the central Egyptian governorate of Minya, was the latest fatality, succumbing to her infection on Tuesday. She is reported to have come in contact with Avian Flu as a result of breeding birds at her residence. After contracting the virus on November 11, she was admitted to hospital in Minya City on November 14, suffering from symptoms including a high fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, and pain in her joints.

Despite being administered the antiviral Tamiflu medication at the hospital, the woman died from her infection on Tuesday. 

Veterinarians and other health specialists have been deployed to investigate the deceased woman’s poultry coop.

Two days earlier, on Sunday November 16, a 19-year-old woman is reported to have succumbed to her infection with the A/H5N1 virus in the southern governorate of Assiut.

Another two individuals were admitted to hospital this week, including a 30-year-old woman, who is reported to be in critical condition, along with a three-year-old boy, said to be in a stable condition. Both have been given the Tamiflu medication.

According to the Health Ministry’s statement, in all of these cases, those infected have been in direct contact with birds that are being bred domestically.

Most of those infected are women residing in rural areas.

The first cases of Avian Flu in Egypt were reported in 2006. Since then a total of 180 infections have been reported.

The Health Ministry claims that of these 180 infections, 65 have died, bringing Egypt’s total mortality rate associated with the Bird Flu to 36 percent of infections. The ministry cites this percentage as being well below the worldwide mortality rate  of approximately 55 percent from global Avian Flu.

The Health Ministry has established the hotline number 105 to answer questions and concerns regarding the Avian Flu virus, and the means by which to prevent it from spreading.