CAIRO: A two-year-old Egyptian girl has tested positive for bird flu, bringing to 33 the number of human cases in the country, the official Middle East News Agency (Mena) reported Thursday. A Health Ministry spokesman identified the girl as Fatmah Farouk Abdel-Gawwad from central Egypt, Mena reported.
She was admitted to hospital on Wednesday, suffering from high fever and was being treated using Tamiflu, the agency said. The girl contracted the virus after coming into contact with infected birds but was in a stable condition, Mena quoted the ministry s spokesman as saying.
Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus because of their role in caring for domestic fowl. Egypt has been the country hardest hit by the virus outside Asia. The government says it is conducting a vigorous campaign to combat the spread of the virus through vaccinations and raising awareness, but cases continue to appear. So far the virus has claimed 13 lives in Egypt. Egypt has the highest number of confirmed human bird flu cases outside Asia. Thirteen Egyptians have died from bird flu since it first surfaced in the country s poultry a year ago. Most of those who fell ill were reported to have had contact with sick or dead household birds, primarily in northern Egypt.
