Re: Egypt - Confirmed H5N1 in Humans April 15, 2009 +
Re: Egypt - Confirmed H5N1 in Humans April 15, 2009 +
AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (77): EGYPT (KAFR EL-SHEIKH) 66TH CASE
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<
http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<
http://www.isid.org>
[1]
Date: Sun 19 Apr 2009
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation AlertNet [edited]
<
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LJ499966.htm>
Egyptian girl contracts bird flu
--------------------------------
An 18 month old Egyptian girl has contracted the highly pathogenic bird flu
virus after coming into contact with infected birds, the latest case in a
growing spate of infections in Egypt, state media said on Sunday [19 Apr
2009]. The new infection brings to 66 the number of bird flu cases in
humans in the most populous Arab country, which has been hit harder by bird
flu than any other country outside Asia.
Egypt has seen a surge in human cases in recent months, with 15 confirmed
since the start of the year [2009], compared with 7 cases between 1 Jan and
17 Apr 2008.
The girl, from the north Egyptian province of Kafr el-Sheikh, was being
treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir), state news agency
MENA reported, citing the health ministry.
While the H5N1 avian influenza virus rarely infects people, experts say
they fear it could mutate into a form that people could easily pass to one
another, sparking a pandemic that could kill millions. Since 2003, H5N1 has
infected at least 412 people in 15 countries and killed 254. It has killed
or forced the culling of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in
Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Some 23 Egyptians have died after contracting the bird flu virus. Most of
those infected had come into contact with infected domestic birds in a
country where roughly 5 million households depend on domestically raised
poultry as a significant source of food and income.
WHO said this month [April 2009] it was concerned that some Egyptians may
carry the bird flu virus without showing symptoms and this could give the
virus more of a chance to mutate to a strain that spreads easily among humans.
[byline: Will Rasmussen]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall
******
[2]
Date: Sun 19 Apr 2009
Source: Egyptian Chronicles [edited]
<
http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/04/another-h5n1-human-infection-case-in.html>
Another H5N1 human infection case in less than 72 hours
-------------------------------------------------------
The Ministry of Health has announced today [19 Apr 2009] that a year and
half old child is no. 66 in the H5N1 human infection roll in Egypt. It is
less than 48 hours from the announcement of case no. 65. The baby girl is
from a village in the Kafr El-Sheikh [governorate in the Delta region of
Egypt]. There have been several cases [reported] from Kafr El-Sheikh this
year [2009]. Al-Fayoum, Bahaira, and Kafr El-Sheikh are the top
governorates with the highest H5N1 infection rate. The baby girl referred
to in this report was admitted to hospital on 15 Apr 2009 and has been
treated with Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and remains in a stable condition.
[posted by Zeinobia]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall
[The 64th case, a 33 year old woman, was also a resident of the Nile Delta
governorate of Kafr el-Sheikh. All of the cases since the beginning of 2009
have been babies and young children, with the exception of the 2 preceding
adult cases. This 66th case restores the predominance of young children as
victims of avian H5N1 influenza virus infection.
A map of the governorates of Egypt can be accessed at
<
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorates_of_Egypt>. The governorate of
Kafr el-Sheikh is located at 13 on this map. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map of Egypt is available at <
http://healthmap.org/r/009S>. -
Mod.CP]
[see also:
Avian influenza, human (76): Egypt (Cairo)
20090418.1472
Avian influenza, human (75): Egypt, 64th case conf
20090417.1464
Avian influenza, human (74): Egypt, 64th
20090417.1463
Avian influenza, human (73): Egypt, virulence
20090413.1411
Avian influenza, human (72): Egypt, virulence
20090412.1403
Avian influenza, human (71): Egypt, Viet Nam, WHO
20090408.1359
Avian influenza, human (70): Egypt (QL), 63rd case
20090406.1336
Avian influenza, human (69): Egypt (BH) 62nd case
20090404.1299
Avian influenza, human (66): Egypt (BH)
20090402.1271]
.................cp/mj/sh