Bird flu breaks out in Egypt

Three members of one family died within only four days in what looks like a new bird flu outbreak in Gharbiya, Egypt. The most recent death, a 27-year old male, occurred on December 27, and two others – one a 30-year old female and a 15-year old girl, died while in the hospital.

All three victims lived in the same house, along with 27 other relatives, said Egyptian authorities. The backyard of the house had a large number of ducks. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the family members became ill after slaughtering the ducks in an attempt to stem the spread of bird flu in the area. Tests revealed that at least three of the ducks were infected with the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus strain.

A spokesperson for the Egyptian Health Ministry admitted the situation was dangerous but under control. If the current outbreak is not stopped in time, there may be more serious problems in the spring when birds migrate through Egypt on their way to Africa.

[Sources: Medical News Today; China View Xinhua]

Tags: bird flu, H5N1, outbreak, Egypt