31 bird flu infections, 10 fatalities across Egypt in under a month

The Ministry of Health announced that 31 people were infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu this month, of whom 10 have succumbed to their viral infections and died.

This year's rate of infection appears to be significantly higher than that of 2014. A total of 27 bird flu infections were reported last year, and 11 individuals died from the virus throughout the course of 2014.

A 31-year-old woman from Giza died from the virus on Tuesday, becoming January’s 10th fatality, according to the ministry's official website.

The Health Ministry also confirmed that two girls, aged six and four and both residents of Cairo, were released from the hospital on Tuesday after they recovered from the bird flu.

Most of Egypt's confirmed bird flu infections are reported to originate in rural areas. Women and children involved in handling and breeding poultry are the most common victims of this potentially fatal virus.

The Health Ministry advises those handling live poultry to maintain residential quarters separated from bird coops. The ministry also advises that those involved in the poultry industry should not expose children to live birds, or to birds displaying signs of illness.

Furthermore, the ministry advises all those involved in the poultry industry to thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water after handling birds.

The ministry's bird flu hotline 105 serves to answer questions pertaining to the virus and how to keep it from spreading.

On January 20, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb moved to establish a national committee to combat the spread of the bird flu.

The Supreme Committee to Confront Bird Flu is tasked with containing the illness and safeguarding Egypt's poultry industry, and is presided over by the ministers of agriculture, health, local development and environment.

The governors of Cairo, Giza, Beheira, Qalyubiya, Monufiya, Kafr al-Sheikh, Daqahlia, Fayoum and Minya are also on the committee, in addition to a nationwide team of veterinarians.

Nonetheless, at this rate the bird flu virus appears to be spreading faster than any time since it was first reported in Egypt in 2006.