Egypt - Human Confirmed/Suspected Bird Flu Cases, Feb 8, 2009 - April 9, 2009 - Page 6

ironorehopper · #**151** April 1st, 2009, 04:04 PM

[WARNING: Google Raw Machine Translation from Arabic to English. Readers can found original article at this link http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesP...85&Language=ar - EDITED.]

A .. The emergence of human infection with bird flu, 61 of the Egyptian child

Health 01/04/2009 09:14:00 PM

Cairo - 1 4 (KUNA) -

Egyptian health authorities announced in the emergence of case No. 61 of human infection with bird flu, the child reaches the age of two from one of the villages of Lake County north of Egypt.

A spokesman of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abdel Rahman Shahin said in a statement here today that the onset of symptoms the child was sick at his place of his injury, the lake was discovered during a visit to the house of her mother in one of the villages of Al-Menoufiya.

He said he has been the introduction of child fever hospital last Monday suffering from a fever and cough after being exposed to birds suspected of having bird flu virus.

He pointed out that once the suspicion of the disease in the child was given the drug Tamiflu, adding that the condition is stable and is being transformed into a hospital, the Tamiflu drug.

The health authorities have warned citizens and authorities concerned of inaction in the face of the bird flu epidemic.

Egypt has been an epidemic of bird flu in February 2006 died 22 cases of the total infected cases.

(End) a b n / b u t KUNA 012114 Apr 09 GMT
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ARABIC

متحدث .. ظهور الاصابة البشرية 61 بمرض انفلونزا الطيور لطفل مصري
الصحة 01/04/2009 09:14:00 م

القاهرة - 1 4 (كونا) - أعلنت السلطات الصحية المصرية عن ظهور الحالة رقم 61 من الاصابة البشرية بأنفلونزا الطيور لطفل يبلغ من العمر سنتين من احدى قرى محافظة البحيرة شمال مصر.
وقال المتحدث الرسمي باسم وزارة الصحة الدكتور عبدالرحمن شاهين في بيان صحافي هنا اليوم أن ظهور الأعراض المرضية على الطفل كانت أثناء تواجده بمحل اقامته بالبحيرة وتم اكتشاف الاصابة أثناء زيارة الأم لمنزل عائلتها باحدى قرى محافظة المنوفية.
واشار الى انه تم ادخال الطفل مستشفى الحميات الاثنين الماضي وهو يعاني من ارتفاع في درجة الحرارة وسعال عقب تعرضه لطيور نافقة يشتبه في اصابتها بمرض انفلونزا الطيور.
ولفت الى أنه فور الاشتباه في اصابة الطفل بالمرض تم اعطاؤه عقار التاميفلو مشيرا الى ان حالته المرضية مستقرة وجاري تحويله الى مستشفى منشية البكرى.
وكانت السلطات الصحية قد حذرت المواطنين والاجهزة المعنية من التراخى في مواجهة وباء انفلونزا الطيور.
يذكر ان مصر تعرضت لوباء انفلونزا الطيور في فبراير من عام 2006 وقد توفى 22 حالة من مجموع الحالات المصابة. (النهاية) ب ن أ / ب ش ر كونا012114 جمت ابر 09
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Laidback Al · #**152** April 1st, 2009, 05:07 PM

Based on post # 150 above, the latest confirmed case from Egypt may be from Qaryat Salah ad Din (30.5931, 30.7194) in the southern part of Beheira Governorate. Qaryat Salah ad Din is near the boundary between the governorates of Beheira and Al Minufiyah.

Sally Furniss · #**153** April 1st, 2009, 05:09 PM

Arabic version of the reuters story comes with this picture

Egyptian woman feeding pigeons in the rain in Cairo on 26 March

[IMG]file:///tmp/moz-screenshot-8.jpg[/IMG]

سيدة مصرية يطعم حمامة في سوق المطرية بالقاهرة يوم 26 مارس اذار. تصوير: عمرو

AIRO (Reuters) - According to MENA news agency on Wednesday that the children in the two-year-old was the bird flu virus to become the No. 61 confirmed cases of illness in the country.

Egypt witnessed an increase in the number of cases of the disease over the last month, recorded six cases of human infection. And Egypt were the most affected countries the disease outside of Asia.

The news agency quoted the Middle East, Abdel-Rahman Shahin, spokesman for the Ministry of Health as saying that the boy who belongs to the lake in the northern province of Egypt is believed to be infected (H 5 to 1) after having been directly exposed to poultry infected with the disease.

The boy admitted to hospital on Monday after suffering a high fever while visiting relatives. And is undergoing treatment with Tamiflu.

Egypt is one of the few countries where the disease does not compensate farmers for culled poultry, despite the fact that many experts say that the best way to ensure the rapid monitoring of the emergence of the disease.

Since the 2003 virus has infected at least 410 people in 15 countries and has killed 254 of them. The disease has led to the slaughter of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in Asia and the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

He died about 23 Egyptians have died of the virus. And adopt about five million families on the poultry in the backyard, as a major source of food and income.

Rarely affects virus (H 5 to 1) in humans but experts fear it could mutate into a form that can be transmitted easily between humans, leading to the deaths of millions.
http://www.masrawy.com/News/MidEast/...0.aspx?ref=rss

HenryN · #**154** April 1st, 2009, 09:10 PM

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...rel="nofollow"

AlaskaDenise · #**155** April 1st, 2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...rel="nofollow"

Commentary

H5N1 False Negatives in Egypt Raise Serious Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 20:31
April 2, 2009

He explained that the process of epidemiological monitoring of infection of human disease since the introduction of the disease in Egypt was the most prominent results of isolation of the case until 6337 yesterday on suspicion of being infected with the disease, pointing out that all were negative, and the Cairo governorate came in first place in terms of the number of suspected cases stood at 843, where the situation.

The above translation describes the hospitalized suspect H5N1 patients that tested negative in Egypt. Since the number of confirmed cases is 61, over 99% of suspect hospitalized patients test negative. Although these negatives may simply signal active testing, the recent concentration of confirmed cases in toddlers raises concerns that the number of true infections in Egypt is orders or magnitude higher than confirmed cases, and the absence of recent confirmed older cases is linked to immunity due to prior exposures to H5N1.

Although no H5N1 sequences have been released from human cases this season, prior sequences are available for almost all prior confirmed cases. In other countries, such as Indonesia, the vast majority of H5N1 isolates are from fatal cases. Although recovered cases are rare in Indonesia, the number of isolates from survivors is zero, or very close to zero. In contrast, most of the confirmed cases in Egypt are not fatal. In the spring of 2007, 16/17 patients survived, but isolates were obtained from all cases.

This high isolation rate raises concerns that only patients with high viral loads test PCR positive, which leads to an isolation rate approaching 100% regardless of outcome. Those patients with lower viral loads test negative and therefore virus isolation is not attempted.

Data supporting the lack of sensitivity in the PCR detection is the Gharbiya cluster, All three cases were fatal, but only two of the three members were PCR positive. The two that were positive were positive twice, once on samples collected prior to the start of Tamiflu treatment, and again in samples collected 48 hours after the start of Tamiflu treatment. The failure to register a PCR positive for the third fatal infections, suggest false negative rates in milder cases may be significant.

In the past, H5N1 positives were concentrated in young women and girls, which was attributed to poultry contact, which was largely limited to females in Egypt. However, many of the cases in the summer of 2007 were children, and most of those cases were mild.

Thus, prior to this year two major groups were represented in H5N1 outbreaks. Mild cases with lower viral loads may have tested negative, but may have generated protective immunity.

Therefore, the current spate of cases is limited to toddlers, who have not been previously exposed to H5N1.

Agressive antibody testing of prior at risk populations would be useful.

.

Sally Furniss · #**156** April 1st, 2009, 09:25 PM

Date: Thursday, April 2 2009 1:42:04 am

Alepeshaer - Rndarushdy:

Ministry of Health announced the discovery of 61 infected humans from bird flu of a child named "Mohamed El-Shahat, Mohamed Hassan Amer", a two-year-old from the village of Salah al-Din, Department of liberalization in Beheira.

The program of life today that the World Health Organization's report refers to a health disaster in Egypt, where the report confirmed bird flu pandemic is endemic in Egypt, which means the continuation of the increasing incidence and mortality in all seasons of the year will not be confined only in winter, as well as the seriousness of the disease mutate at any time

http://elbashayeronline.com/?page=viewn&nid=45135

بتاريخ : الخميس 2 ابريل 2009 1:42:04 ص
عدد القراء : 15

البشاير-رندارشدى:
أعلنت وزارة الصحة عن اكتشاف الإصابة البشرية رقم 61 بمرض أنفلونزا الطيور لطفل يدعى "محمد الشحات محمد حسن عامر"، ويبلغ من العمر سنتين من قرية صلاح الدين، بمديرية التحرير بمحافظة البحيرة.
وأشار برنامج الحياة اليوم الى أن تقرير منظمة الصحة العالمية يشير الى كارثة صحية في مصر حيث أكد التقرير تحول أنفلونزا الطيور لوباء متوطن في مصر مما يعني استمرار تزايد معدلات الإصابة والوفيات في جميع فصول السنة ولن ينحصر في فصل الشتاء فقط وكذلك خطورة تحور المرض في أي وقت

Sally Furniss · #**157** April 2nd, 2009, 03:38 AM

Health »HIV declares 61 b« avian flu ».. And the isolation since 6337 on suspicion of his

Wrote Secretary Tariq Sheikh Omar Abdel-Hakim and Muhammad Hamdi gondi 2-4 / 2009

Mountain

The Ministry of Health, yesterday, the incidence of human disease No. 61 «avian flu» of a child named Mohamed El-Shahat Mohamed «two» from the lake, the ministry also confirmed that it fired more than 6337 citizen on suspicion of contracting the disease, since it appeared in Egypt,

She drew the ministry to the World Health Organization warned the danger of turning into an epidemic disease is endemic in Egypt. He said the report, prepared by the Department of Communicable Disease Control Ministry, a rise in human cases, which was isolated in all the hospitals to more than 2337, compared to the same period last year.

A d. Abdel Rahman Shahin, spokesman for the ministry, the total number of human cases, which was hit by the disease since February 2006 and even today, there were 60 human cases, 23 cases died, including 35 cases have been recovered and there are two cases in hospital receiving treatment,

He pointed out that the provinces were more positive cases, b is the province of Menoufiya 7 cases followed each of the Fayoum and Qena b 6 cases and 5 cases of each of Minya Qalubia and western provinces and 3 cases of Cairo, Aswan and Dakahlia, Kafr El-Sheikh and two each of the governorates of Beni Suef, Assiut, Sohag, Damietta and East and the case and one each from Alexandria, Suez and the lake, and October 6, The Giza, Luxor, Ismailia, Port Said, Matrouh, New Valley and the Red Sea and the North and South Sinai and the payment to be free of any injuries positive disease,

He pointed out that the «recovery rate in Egypt, the greatest evidence of our success in the face of the disease», and added that the ministry has prepared a comprehensive national plan to confront any mutation in the virus and spread among humans,

Was also a kind of simulation of this plan and prepare for that scenario, he said, pointing out that the factor «Nmro 3» involved in the examination of some of the samples for the cases of infected or suspected of being infected, as well as to move the team to a central laboratory equipment to monitor the situation the region, which was hit by the virus.

In a related development, held yesterday in the hospital diets 4 provinces, namely West Qalubia and Beni Suef, the New Valley, 12 people suspected of contracting the disease and the emergence of symptoms of infection to them.

http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/articl...ticleID=205319

الصحة» تعلن الإصابة ٦١ بـ«أنفلونزا الطيور».. وعزل ٦٣٣٧ للاشتباه منذ ظهوره

كتب طارق أمين ـ عمر الشيخ وعبدالحكم الجندى ومحمد حمدى ٢/ ٤/ ٢٠٠٩

الجبلى

أعلنت وزارة الصحة، أمس، الإصابة البشرية رقم ٦١ بمرض «أنفلونزا الطيور» لطفل يدعى محمد الشحات محمد «سنتان» من البحيرة كما أكدت الوزارة أنها عزلت أكثر من ٦٣٣٧ مواطناً للاشتباه فى إصابتهم بالمرض، منذ ظهوره فى مصر،

ولفتت الوزارة إلى تحذيرات منظمة الصحة العالمية بخطر تحول المرض إلى وباء متوطن فى مصر. كما كشف التقرير، الذى أعدته إدارة مكافحة الأمراض المعدية بالوزارة، عن ارتفاع الحالات البشرية التى تم عزلها فى جميع المستشفيات إلى أكثر من ٢٣٣٧، مقارنة بالفترة نفسها من العام الماضى.

وقال د. عبدالرحمن شاهين، المتحدث الرسمى باسم الوزارة، إن إجمالى عدد الحالات البشرية، التى أصيبت بالمرض منذ فبراير ٢٠٠٦ وحتى اليوم، بلغ ٦٠ حالة بشرية، توفى منها ٢٣ حالة وتم شفاء ٣٥ حالة وتوجد حالتان بالمستشفى تتلقيان العلاج،

مشيراً إلى أن أكثر المحافظات جاءت بها حالات إيجابية هى محافظة المنوفية بـ ٧ حالات تلتها كل من الفيوم وقنا بـ ٦ حالات و٥ حالات بكل من المنيا والقليوبية والغربية و٣ حالات بمحافظات القاهرة وأسوان والدقهلية وكفر الشيخ وحالتين بكل من محافظات بنى سويف وأسيوط وسوهاج ودمياط والشرقية وحالة إصابة واحدة بكل من الإسكندرية والسويس والبحيرة و٦ أكتوبر، وجاءت الجيزة والأقصر والإسماعيلية وبورسعيد ومطروح والوادى الجديد والبحر الأحمر وشمال وجنوب سيناء وحلوان لتكون خالية من أى إصابات إيجابية بالمرض،

لافتاً إلى أن «نسبة الشفاء فى مصر أكبر دليل على نجاحنا فى مواجهة المرض»، وأضاف أن الوزارة أعدت خطة قومية متكاملة لمواجهة أى تحور فى الفيروس وانتشاره بين البشر،

كما تم إجراء نوع من المحاكاة لهذه الخطة وإعداد السيناريو الخاص بذلك، لافتاً إلى أن معامل «نمرو ٣» تشترك فى فحص بعض العينات الخاصة بالحالات المصابة أو المشتبه فى إصابتها، بالإضافة إلى تحريك فريق مركزى بالأجهزة المعملية لمتابعة الموقف بالمنطقة التى ظهر بها الفيروس.

فى سياق متصل، احتجزت مستشفيات الحميات أمس فى ٤ محافظات، هى الغربية والقليوبية وبنى سويف والوادى الجديد، ١٢ شخصاً للاشتباه فى إصابتهم بالمرض وظهور أعراض الإصابة عليهم.

HenryN · #**158** April 2nd, 2009, 06:54 AM

H5N1 detected in birds almost daily in 2009

RECENT CASES:
Date of sampling: 18 March 2009
Date of result: 19 March 2009
Governorate: Gharbiya
District: Tanta
Village: Sanadid
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 53
Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
--------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 18 March 2009
Date of result: 19 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Hosh Eisa
Village: Al Kordor-Al Maghazi
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: Not available
Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
--------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 17 March 2009
Date of result: 18 March 2009
Governorate: Gharbiya
District: Kotor
Village: Sagein al Kom
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 42
Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 16 March 2009
Date of result: 18 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Kafr el Dawar
Village: Manshiya Amer Barawla
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 38
Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 13 March 2009
Date of result: 13 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Kafr el Dawar
Village: Al Akreisha
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 12
Vaccine status: Vaccinated 8 December 2008
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 12 March 2009
Date of result: 13 March 2009
Governorate: Qalyoubiya*
District: Not available
Village: Not available
Type of rearing: Not indicated
*A truck from Sharkiya Governorate carrying 520 layer hens was stopped by authorities in Qalyoubiya Governorate
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 520
Vaccine status: Unknown
Purpose of sampling: Passive surveillance
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 11 March 2009
Date of result: 13 March 2009
Governorate: Sharkiya
District: El Kenayat
Village: Ezbet Abu Hasouna
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: Not available
Vaccine status: Unknown
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 11 March 2009
Date of result: 13 March 2009
Governorate: Sixth of October
District: Kerdasa
Village: Kerdasa
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Unknown
Number of birds: Not available
Vaccine status: Not vaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 11 March 2009
Date of result: 12 March 2009
Governorate: Gharbiya
District: Tanta
Village: Ezbet Shaban, Berma village
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 8
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 11 March 2009
Date of result: 11 March 2009
Governorate: Assiut
District: Assiut
Village: Al Walideia
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 45
Vaccine status: Vaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 10 March 2009
Date of result: 11 March 2009
Governorate: Minya
District: Samalout
Village: Gaber al Ghaber al Keblia
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Mixed
Number of birds: 8
Vaccine status: Vaccinated against H5N2 on 25 December 2008
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 8 March 2009
Date of result: 9 March 2009
Governorate: Alexandria
District: Al King / Al Ameria
Village: Abo el Reish
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken, duck
Number of birds: 50 total
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of sampling: 6 March 2009
Date of result: 7 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Kafr el Dawar
Village: Owan
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 20
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 2 March 2009
Date of result: 3 March 2009
Governorate: Suez
District: Al Ganain
Village: Abo Saial
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 15
Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 1 March 2009
Date of result: 2 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Hosh Eisa
Village: Seriut
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 2
Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 1 March 2009
Date of result: 2 March 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Kafr el Dawar
Village: Al Malaka
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	22	45	10

Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 28 February 2009
Date of result: 1 March 2009
Governorate: Aswan
District: Edfo
Village: Wadi el Saida
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	16	6

Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 27 February 2009
Date of result: 28 February 2009
Governorate: Aswan
District: Al Sebaeia
Village: Hager al Sebaeia Gharb
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 4
Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 27 February 2009
Date of result: 28 February 2009
Governorate: Aswan
District: Edfo
Village: Al Behira
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	geese
Number of birds	5	1

Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 19 February 2009
Governorate: 6th of October
District: Oseim
Village: Bashteil
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	10	3	3

Vaccine status: Unvaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 19 February 2009
Governorate: Gharbiya
District: Samanoud
Village: Meit Habib
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	6	4

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 12 February 2009
Governorate: Fayoum
District: Fayoum
City: Fayoum
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	unavailable	unavailable	unavailable

Vaccine status: Vaccinated 10 August 2008
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 11 February 2009
Governorate: Giza
District: Giza
City: Giza
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	4	3

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 11 February 2009
Governorate: Sixth of October
District: Oseim
Village: El Keirateiin
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	unavailable	unavailable

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 11 February 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Hosh Eisa
City: Abu Maloot
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	unavailable	unavailable	unavailable

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 10 February 2009
Governorate: Gharbiya
District: Tanta
City: Hesit Shabsheir
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	74	12

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 9 February 2009
Governorate: Assiut
District: Assiut
City: Assiut
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 2
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 9 February 2009
Governorate: Menoufiya
District: Menof
Village: Kamshosh
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	22	20	15

Vaccine status: Vaccinated for H5N1, 20 December 2008
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 9 February 2009
Governorate: Helwan
District: Atfih
Village: El Khalf El Sharki
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: Unavailable
Number of birds: Unavailable
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Governorate: Sharkiya
District: Belbeis
City: Al Asher (Ramsis Road)
Large number of birds found dead at Al Asher, Ramsis Road. Samples were collected from the dead birds and sent to the lab.
Type of rearing: Unknown
Species: Unavailable
Number of birds: Unavailable
Vaccine status: Unknown
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Damanhour
Village: Nediba
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: chicken, duck, turkey
Number of birds: Unavailable
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Date of result: 6 February 2009
Governorate: Helwan
District: Helwan
City: none reported
Type of rearing: Backyards
Species: Chicken
Number of birds: 2
Vaccine status: Unknown
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Governorate: Helwan
District: Helwan
City: El Hoda City
Type of rearing: Backyard
Species: chicken
Number of birds: 40
Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Governorate: Beheira
District: Kafr el Dawar
Village: Abo el Hoda
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	8	4

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance: Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) visit
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 5 February 2009
Governorate: Fayoum
District: Itsa
Village: Albrens
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	21	35	unavailable

Vaccine status: Unavailable
Purpose of sampling: Notified case
---------------------------------------------------

Date of report: 4 February 2009
Date of result: 4 February 2009
Governorate: Suez
District: Al Ganain
Village: Akilabat
Type of unit: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese	turkey
Number of birds	30	25	3	5

Vaccine status: Vaccinated against H5N1 on 25 January 2009
Purpose of sampling: Notified case

---------------------------------------------------

Date of report: 3 February 2009
Governorate: Sharkiya
District: El Kenayat
Village: -
Type of unit: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	150	15	12

Vaccine status: Information not available
Purpose of sampling: Active surveillance (PDS team from the veterinary authority visited the village searching for the disease without official notification.)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 27 January 2009
Governorate: Menoufiya
District: Shebin Elkom
Village: -
Type of unit: Backyard
Type of bird: Duck
Number of birds: 6
Vaccine status: Not vaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (Passive surveillance). Follow-up on human case. See related report.
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 26 January 2009
Governorate: Alexandria
District: Khorshid
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	100	10

Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (Passive surveillance)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 26 January 2009
Governorate: Alexandria
District: El Mamoura
Village: Ezbet Hod 10
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	10	5

Vaccine status: Not available
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (passive surveillance)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 22 January 2009
Governorate: Assiut
District: Assiut
Village: Reva
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	45	6	2

Vaccine status: Information not available
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (passive surveillance)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 22 January 2009
Governorate: Fayoum
District: Fayoum
Village: Seila Ezbet Edris
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks	geese
Number of birds	8	3	4
Vaccinated	June 5, 2008	Nov. 19, 2008	Dec. 16, 2008

Purpose of sampling: Notified case (passive surveillance)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 13 January 2009
Governorate: Sixth of October
District: Kerdasa
Village: Kafr Abu Hegazi
Type of rearing: Backyard, 2 houses
First house:

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	0	(frozen) not. avail.

Vaccine status: Not vaccinated
Second house:

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	2 live, 2 dead	5 live, 1 dead

Vaccine status: Not vaccinated
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (passive surveillance). Follow-up on human case. See related report.

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 9 January 2009
Governorate: Menoufiya
District: Ashmoun
Village: Lengib
Type of rearing: Backyard

Type of birds	chickens	ducks
Number of birds	25	9

Vaccine status: Vaccinated July 29, 2008
Purpose of sampling: Notified case (passive surveillance)

---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 8 January 2009
Governorate: Sharkiya
District: Mashtol al Sook
City: Mashtol al Sook
Type of rearing: Farm
Species: Turkey
Number of birds: 1,600
Two trucks were carrying the birds from a farm
Vaccine status: Vaccinated for H5N2 on 16 October 2008.
Purpose of sampling: Notified case

HenryN · #**159** April 2nd, 2009, 07:15 AM

New bird flu case a reminder pandemic still a threat	PRINT FRIENDLY	EMAIL STORY
PM - Thursday, 2 April , 2009 18:38:00 Reporter: David Mark MARK COLVIN: A two-year-old Egyptian boy has caught the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus. He's the tenth person to contract the disease in Egypt this year. Researchers have described the spate of new outbreaks in Egypt and in China as worrying. The number of cases appeared to have peaked three years ago but these outbreaks seem to buck that trend. David Mark reports. DAVID MARK: Egypt is the new ground zero for bird flu. The two-year-old boy is the sixth Egyptian to get the disease in the past month. Professor Anne Kelso is the director of the WHO collaborating centre for Influenza in Melbourne. ANNE KELSO: The WHO is reporting cases and deaths at the moment in China, Egypt and Vietnam. I think particularly worrying are the number of cases in China, which are scattered throughout different provinces. DAVID MARK: The avian influenza of H5N1 virus first jumped from birds to humans in 2003. The number of cases grew steadily. In 2006 115 people in nine countries caught the disease; 79 of them died. Bird flu was a big story. (Montage of archival stories) REPORTER: China says it's made the first discovery of a deadly flu… REPORTER 2: The extremely infectious avian influenza… REPORTER 3: The World Health Organisation says international… REPORTER 4: The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture last night confirmed that… DAVID MARK: Since then the numbers of cases and deaths from bird flu has been steadily declining. ANNE KELSO: It's interesting because the virus, or at least I should call it a family of viruses is still spreading very widely throughout the world and there are many poultry outbreaks still occurring in many countries of the world. ALAN HAMPSON: Well, it certainly hasn't gone away and I think there's probably a degree of media fatigue about the whole thing. DAVID MARK: Dr Alan Hampson is the chair of the Australian Influenza Specialist Group. As he explains, the danger with bird flu is that it could mutate. If the virus could jump from human to human, the chances of a deadly pandemic increase greatly. ALAN HAMPSON: I certainly wouldn't write this virus off. I think if it does acquire, if it can acquire that potential, then the longer that it's there the more human cases we see, then the chances are continuing to grow that it will actually adapt. DAVID MARK: The good news is that it hasn't happened yet. While 256 six people have died from the disease, that number pales in comparison to a possible pandemic. Tens of millions died in the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak. Some people have suggested that the fact avian influenza hasn't mutated in the past six years, mean that it won't. Dr Hampson and Professor Kelso disagree: ALAN HAMPSON: There's no inherent reason in the virus that we've been able to date that would suggest that it can't adapt to humans. ANNE KELSO: It hasn't yet undergone the mutation that would make it easily transmissible. Maybe there's some reason; maybe there's some property of the virus that means it's not particularly prone to undergoing those mutations, but I don't know of any scientific evidence for that. And so we simply have to assume that there's still some possibility, even if it's small, that that virus could cause a pandemic. DAVID MARK: The years without a pandemic have bought time. Professor Kelso says a huge amount of progress has been made into researching the H5N1 virus and possible vaccines. ANNE KELSO: So that if one has a vaccine for one influenza virus the person who's vaccinated will have some degree of protection against quite different influenza viruses. DAVID MARK: A key to the research is countries sharing information. But Professor Kelso is concerned that one country, Indonesia, isn't reporting cases. Crucially, Indonesia is the country where the virus is mostly widely spread among flocks of poultry and where the human death toll far of 115 far exceeds any other country. ANNE KELSO: Because they're not sharing viruses with WHO it's harder for the rest of the world to assist or to help to monitor how those viruses are changing. So, yes, we're concerned about Indonesia. DAVID MARK: Avian influenza may no longer be a sexy story, but those working in the field argue governments around the world can't afford to assume the danger from this disease is over. MARK COLVIN: David Mark. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2533551.htm

HenryN · #**160** April 2nd, 2009, 09:37 AM

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...rel="nofollow"

AlaskaDenise · #**161** April 2nd, 2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...rel="nofollow"

Commentary

H5N1 Toddler Demographic in Egypt Increases Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 14:27
April 2, 2009

The most recent confirmed H5N1 case in Egypt was the ninth toddler this year, once again highlighting the changing demographic. H5N1 cases have been reported in Egypt since 2006 and early cases were largely females that were teenagers or young adults, due to their close contact with poultry.

However, this year there has only been one confirmed adult case (38F), who quickly recovered and was only symptomatic for four days. The other nine cases were toddlers between the ages of 1 ½ and 2 ½, which has not been previously reported. In the 51 confirmed cases between 2006 and 2008, there were only 6 toddlers and the rate for each year was close to 10%. In contrast, the toddler rate for 2009 has jumped to 90% and most of these cases have been mild and were widely distributed (see updated map).

This changing demographic is not due to a dramatic change in poultry cases. Although the reports to OIE have become less frequent because Egypt had declared endemic H5N1 which only requires reports every 6 months. However, local detailed reports of poultry H5N1 outbreaks indicate that new outbreaks are confirmed almost daily. These outbreaks are largely backyard flocks and include birds that have and have not been vaccinated. H5N1 deaths in small flocks may be discarded or eaten and not reported, so the exposure to H5N1 in birds is markedly higher than confirmed outbreaks.

However, in spite of this high exposure in 2009, there have been no confirmed teenagers or young adult H5N1 cases. Similarly, in the spring of 2007 there was a spike in cases, but most of those patients were children. Those cases were also mild, raising concerns that the number of H5N1 was markedly higher than reported, because most cases would present as seasonal flu. Similarly, H5N1 testing was largely limited to patients who had a history of contact with poultry, which would lead to silent human to human transmission of mild cases. In 2009, there also have been no confirmed cases in children. The oldest non-adult was 2 ½.

This new demographic, which largely limits confirmed cases to toddlers, raises concerns that prior outbreaks were linked to a significant exposure of these earlier populations to H5N1, leading to protective immunity which limited confirmed cases.

In contrast, the toddlers would not have had exposure to the earlier outbreaks and therefore would lack the protective immunity.

Further analysis of this new demographic would be useful. If the lack of confirmed cases in female teenagers or young adults is due to protective immunity, this group should have low levels of H5N1 antibodies.

A comprehensive screening of this demographic would be useful.

.

HenryN · #**162** April 2nd, 2009, 01:52 PM

Beheira toddler contracts bird flu

By AFP
First Published: April 2, 2009

CAIRO: A toddler has contracted bird flu, the 61th recorded case since the first outbreak of the disease in the country in 2006, state-news agency MENA reported on Wednesday.
The two-year-old was taken to hospital with a fever on Monday in Beheira governorate, health ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahin said, quoted by MENA. He had been exposed to dead fowl thought to have been infected with the virus.
Twenty-three people have died of bird flu in Egypt. Most of the victims have been young girls or women, who are generally in charge of looking after poultry in rural areas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) called last month for an investigation into why many of the victims have been young children.
Egypt hosted an international conference on bird flu in October, when Washington pledged an additional $320 million to the fight against the disease amid fears it may yet escalate into a global pandemic.
The H5N1 strain of the virus that is most dangerous to humans first emerged in Asia in 2003 and has since caused nearly 250 deaths, according to WHO figures.
Scientists fear that a mutation of the bird flu virus resulting in a strain easily transmitted among humans could create a pandemic, potentially affecting up to one-fifth of the world's population. –AFP

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/art...rticleID=20819

HenryN · #**163** April 2nd, 2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niman

Beheira toddler contracts bird flu

By AFP
First Published: April 2, 2009

Twenty-three people have died of bird flu in Egypt. Most of the victims have been young girls or women, who are generally in charge of looking after poultry in rural areas.
–AFP

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/art...rticleID=20819

The above AFP background paragraph is in serious need of an update. In 2009 there have been ten confirmed cases and the number who died this year is ZERO. Moreover 9/10 are toddlers between the ages of 1 1/2 and 2 1/2.

HenryN · #**164** April 2nd, 2009, 07:06 PM

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (66): EGYPT (BEHEIRA or AL BUHAYRAH)
************************************************** *********
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: Wed 1 Apr 2009
Source: Reuters [edited]
<http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSL116466>

Egyptian boy contracts bird flu virus
-------------------------------------
A 2-year-old Egyptian boy has contracted the highly pathogenic bird
flu virus, bringing to 61 the number of confirmed cases in the most
populous Arab country, state news agency MENA said on Wed 1 Apr 2009.
Egypt, hit harder by bird flu than any other country outside of Asia,
has seen an upswing in bird flu cases over the past month, with 6 new
human infections.

The boy, from the province of Beheira in northern Egypt, was believed
to have contracted the H5N1 [avian influenza] virus after coming into
contact with infected birds, MENA quoted health ministry spokesman
Abdel Rahman Shahine as saying. The boy was taken to hospital on
Monday [30 Mar 2009] after he came down with a high fever while
visiting extended family in another province. He was being treated
with the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

Egypt is one of the few countries affected by bird flu that does not
compensate farmers when poultry is destroyed, though many experts say
this is the best way to ensure rapid detection of new outbreaks.
Since 2003, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected at least 410
people in 15 countries and killed 254 of them. 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 virus, most after coming into contact with
infected domestic birds in a country where roughly 5 million
households depend on domestically raised poultry as a main source of
food and income. While H5N1 rarely infects people, experts fear it
could mutate into a form that people could easily pass to one
another, sparking a pandemic that could kill millions.

[Byline: Cynthia Johnston]

******
[2]
Date: Wed 1 Apr 2009
Source: Egyptian Chronicles [edited]
<http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.c...tion-case.html>

H5N1 Human Infection Case Number 61
-----------------------------------
The ministry of Health in Cairo has announced the H5N1 human
infection case number 61 in Egypt, a 2-year-old boy. The boy is from
Al-Bahaira in North Delta. He was infected through dead infected
domestic poultry. He was discovered when he became very sick during
visiting his grandparents in Monfia. He was given Tamiflu and
currently is stable.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[A map of the governorates of Egypt can be accessed at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorates_of_Egypt>. Beheira is
located at 4 on the map. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of
Egypt is available at <http://healthmap.org/r/007U>. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Avian influenza, human (64): Egypt (QN), WHO 20090330.1220
Avian influenza, human (63): Egypt, 60th case 20090329.1211
Avian influenza, human (58): Egypt (AT), WHO 20090323.1142
Avian influenza, human (55): Egypt (AT), Viet Nam (DT) 20090320.1118
Avian influenza, human (52): Egypt (MF), WHO 20090311.1013
Avian influenza, human (51): Egypt (MF) susp 20090311.1007
Avian influenza, human (50): Egypt (AL), WHO 20090311.1004
Avian influenza, human (49): Egypt (Cairo) NOT 20090306.0932
Avian influenza, human (48): Egypt (Cairo), susp. 20090305.0901
Avian influenza, human (46): Indonesia, susp., Egypt, WHO conf. 20090303.0867
Avian influenza, human (44): Indonesia, Egypt susp. 20090301.0853
Avian influenza, human (33): Egypt (MN), WHO 20090210.0599
Avian influenza, human (31): Egypt (MN) 20090208.0575
Avian influenza, human (29): Egypt (SUZ) 20090205.0511
Avian influenza, human (23): Egypt, WHO 20090127.0366
Avian influenza, human (21): Egypt 20090125.0338
Avian influenza, human (07): Egypt (SO), WHO 20090114.0158]
..............................cp/ejp/mpp

Sally Furniss · #**165** April 3rd, 2009, 05:17 AM

An ad hoc committee to examine the lake house of the injured child b «avian flu» .. And the detention of 3 new cases of suspected

Day books and Abduljawad Shaima just 4-3 / 2009

Mountain

By a specialized committee of the Ministry of Health and Preventive Medicine and Veterinary Medicine to move to the child's home-Shahat, Mohamed Hassan Amer «years», which was No. 61 in the cases of bird flu in the province of the lake, immediately confirmed his illness, to examine the house and the houses nearby, Dr. Mohamed Farid , Director of Veterinary Medicine to maintain, the lack of birds at his home.

The Committee decided to execute all the birds in the houses surrounding the cemetery and buried the healthy, and clean up the entire region, are being vaccinated all the surrounding villages as a precaution.

Detained in the same context hospitals admitted Alexandria, Qena and the lake, three cases of suspected bird flu patients, including children, Mahmoud Ragab bluff «3 years», and a resident of Kafr Al-Dawar, and Izzat Mohammad Sami «35 years», housewife Damanhour and Princess Razeq Abulhasan « 21 years »housewife from the village of« Millennium Izbat »Bdhna. Executed and the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine province October 6, 5662 birds, suspected of being infected with bird flu.

For its part, held the supreme committee for combating bird flu meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of Major General Mohamed Abdel Salam Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development and the presence of ministers of health, agriculture and the environment and the governors of Cairo and October 6 Qalubia and Eastern Dakahlia Monoufia, Fayyoum and the West, Beni Suef and representatives of defense and interior ministers, the heads of the General Authority for Information and the General Authority for Veterinary Services, to follow up national plan to combat bird flu,

He emphasized that he was the processing of more than 61 million doses of vaccine and the formation of a strategic stockpile of the antiviral drug «Tamiflu» up to more than 2.4 million doses to deal with cases of infected and suspect.

http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/articl...ticleID=205455

لجنة متخصصة تفحص منزل طفل البحيرة المصاب بـ«أنفلونزا الطيور».. واحتجاز ٣ حالات اشتباه جديدة

كتب عيد عبدالجواد وشيماء عادل ٣/ ٤/ ٢٠٠٩

الجبلى

قامت لجنة متخصصة من وزارة الصحة والطب الوقائى والطب البيطرى بالانتقال إلى منزل الطفل محمد الشحات حسن عامر «عامين» والذى يحمل رقم ٦١ فى الحالات المصابة بمرض أنفلونزا الطيور، فى محافظة البحيرة، فور تأكد إصابته بالمرض، لفحص المنزل والمنازل المجاورة، وأكد الدكتور محمد فريد، مدير الطب البيطرى بالمحافظة، عدم وجود طيور بمنزله.

وقررت اللجنة إعدام جميع الطيور الموجودة بالمنازل المحيطة ودفنها بالمدفن الصحى، وتم تطهير المنطقة بالكامل، ويجرى حالياً تحصين جميع القرى المحيطة كإجراء وقائى.

فى السياق نفسه احتجزت مستشفيات حميات الإسكندرية وقنا والبحيرة ثلاث حالات اشتبه فى إصابتهم بمرض أنفلونزا الطيور ومن بينهم الطفل محمود رجب شامخ «٣ سنوات»، والمقيم فى كفر الدوار، وعزة محمد على الصومى «٣٥ سنة»، ربة منزل من دمنهور وأميرة عبدالرازق أبوالحسن «٢١ سنة» ربة منزل من قرية «عزبة الألفى» بدشنا. وأعدمت مديرية الطب البيطرى بمحافظة ٦ أكتوبر ٥٦٦٢ طائراً، اشتبه فى إصابتها بأنفلونزا الطيور.

من جانبها عقدت اللجنة العليا لمكافحة مرض أنفلونزا الطيور اجتماعاً أمس برئاسة اللواء محمد عبدالسلام المحجوب وزير التنمية المحلية بحضور وزراء الصحة والزراعة والبيئة ومحافظى القاهرة و٦ أكتوبر والقليوبية والشرقية والدقهلية والمنوفية والفيوم والغربية وبنى سويف وممثلى وزارتى الدفاع والداخلية ورئيسى الهيئة العامة للاستعلامات والهيئة العامة للخدمات البيطرية، لمتابعة الخطة القومية لمكافحة مرض أنفلونزا الطيور،

مؤكداً أنه تم تجهيز أكثر من ٦١ مليون جرعة لقاح وتكوين مخزون استراتيجى من عقار «التاميفلو» يصل إلى أكثر من ٢.٤ مليون جرعة للتعامل مع الحالات المصابة والمشتبه بها.

HenryN · #**166** April 3rd, 2009, 06:59 AM

Bird flu cases rise in Egypt

3rd April 2009

In Egypt, the number of bird flu cases has risen yet again to 61, making six new human infections over the past month.
Egypt is the most populous Arab country and the one hit hardest by bird flu outside Asia.

A two-year-old boy from the province of Bohaira, in the north, is believed to have become infected after coming into contact with poultry carrying the disease.

The boy was taken to hospital earlier this week after coming down with a fever during a family visit, where he was treated with the drug Tamiflu.

Even though it is recommended by experts, health authorities in Egypt do not compensate farmers for birds that need to be culled.

In the last six years, at least 410 people have contracted the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The infections have occurred in 15 countries and caused 254 human deaths, and entailed the culling of some 300 million birds in 61 countries.

The human dead include 23 Egyptians, contact with domestic birds carrying the virus being the most common infection route.

In Egypt, where approximately 5 million households derive their main source of food and income from domestic poultry, comparatively few people have been infected.

This recent case comes just over one week after a two-year-old girl in the province of Qena was found to have contracted the virus.

One day after the girl's symptoms began, she was moved to a hospital specialising in treating the disease and given the drug oseltamivir. Her condition eventually stabilised.

Cases in Egypt have been sporadic, and just over one third have been fatal.

However, experts fear that the H5N1 virus could become transmissible from one human to another, bringing devastating consequences worldwide.

The virus responsible for the Spanish flu pandemic, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed somewhere between 20 and 50 million people worldwide, was less deadly than a potentially mutated H5N1 bird flu virus.

Billions of dollars are currently being spent by governments in preparation for a potential outbreak, and at least 17 governments and 12 companies are developing bird flu vaccines.

http://www.hc2d.co.uk/content.php?contentId=10853

HenryN · #**167** April 3rd, 2009, 01:18 PM

Flying in the face of challenge

According to a World Health Organisation report, Egypt is on the front line in the battle against avian flu. Reem Leila examines the threat

Two-year-old Israa Saad Abdel-Shafi is the 60th case of the H5N1 strain of avian flu virus recorded in Egypt since the first outbreak of the disease in 2006 and the ninth victim since the start of the year. Twenty-three out of the 60 have died, the majority young girls or women from rural areas who raise fowl domestically.
In early March the World Health Organisation (WHO) called for an investigation into why Egypt is seeing increasing numbers of victims. The WHO has identified the country as being at the forefront of the spread of the disease though Abdel-Rahman Shahin, official spokesman to the Ministry of Health, points out that despite the high number of victims the percentage of fatalities from bird flu in Egypt is still less than in other countries that have seen outbreaks of the disease.
Egypt has reported nine cases since the beginning of the year, with zero fatalities. There were eight cases with four fatalities in 2008. Vietnam has reported two fatalities, and China seven victims with four fatalities. Shahin argues the figures indicate the disease is being controlled in Egypt.
"This year we do not have any fatalities whereas last year it was 50 per cent. The fatality rate in China this year is more than 50 per cent, and in Vietnam it is 100 per cent. The situation in Egypt is improving, not deteriorating."
Bird flu presents a massive challenge to the government given the uncertainty about the course of any possible pandemic. The virus has become endemic and it could take years to rid the country of the most virulent strain. The government, says Shahin, has prepared a detailed national plan to be implemented in case of a pandemic according to which half of Egypt's 150,000 hospitals beds will be reserved for avian flu patients.
Hamid Samaha, head of the General Authority for Veterinary Services, says the government is focussing on comprehensive public health efforts -- monitoring outbreaks in order to identify any change in the virus, increasing anti-viral stockpiles and building a more robust capacity for vaccine production.
Settlement patterns in Egypt, where 95 per cent of the population is concentrated on five per cent of the land, has serious implications for any pandemic outbreak. The virus has been found at nearly 300 sites and is now "rooted in the Egyptian environment" says Shahin, who now believes that following the first incidents of avian flu Egypt should have culled all poultry and taken draconian measures to stamp out the continued domestic rearing of birds.
"The whole country must resort to consuming frozen chicken instead of purchasing fresh birds. We cannot afford to implement such a scheme at the moment, but the least we must do is ensure that in cities people abide by the regulations and limit direct and indirect communication with poultry."
Shahin suggests the mortality rate resulting from bird flu infections is decreasing due to growing awareness in the wake of information campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Health.
The WHO is still concerned that human infections have escalated over a relatively short period of time, leading some experts to accuse the government of inadequate planning. Health officials, they say, are endeavouring to enforce preventive measures but are incapable of ensuring they are strictly implemented.
"Government planning is random. It is using the wrong vaccine to combat the virus," insists Talaat Khatib, professor of veterinary medicine at Assiut University. "American scientists have already confirmed the H5N1 virus has evolved into two genetically distinct strains, potentially increasing the risk to humans." Khatib believes public awareness campaigns to date have been too weak and Egypt should have begun to plan its preventative measures when the virus was first reported in the country in February 2006.
In Egypt, where poverty and illiteracy rates are high and urban rooftop and backyard rearing of poultry has long been a way of life, a more systematic approach to monitoring the disease needs to be put in place, says Samaha. "People do not respect instructions from the authorities. They consider poultry capital for which it is worth risking their health, and the health of their neighbours."
Egypt is one of very few countries affected by bird flu that does not offer compensation to farmers when poultry is destroyed. Since 2003 412 human cases of the virus have been reported in 15 countries, resulting in 256 deaths. More than 300 million birds have been culled worldwide.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/941/eg6.htm

ironorehopper · #**168** April 3rd, 2009, 01:24 PM

[WARNING: Google Machine Translation from Arabic to English. Readers can find original article at http://www.egynews.net/wps/portal/!u...18332595300029 - EDITED.[

Ministry of Health announces bird flu infection 62 Behira

The Egyptian Ministry of Health Friday, wounding a child maintain the lake with bird flu, bringing the number of Egyptians who have been infected with bird flu for 62.

The ministry said in a statement that the emergence of symptoms of the disease on the child, Jamil Hassan Mohammed Hassan (in 9 months) started in the first of April, and was admitted into hospital Damanhour Center, and treated with [tamiflu] on the same day he entered the hospital, where the child is still in good health and receive treatment.

23 Egyptians killed after HIV infection, including many cases involving domestic poultry infected with, and adopt some five million Egyptian poultry house as a major source of food and income.

The virus / H .5. The. / 1 strain of bird flu at least 410 people since 2003 in 15 countries and killed 254 of them, and led to death or forcing the authorities to the execution of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in Asia and the Middle East and Africa and Europe.

(MENA)
-
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ironorehopper · #**169** April 3rd, 2009, 01:39 PM

Reuters AlertNet - Egyptian toddler contracts bird flu virus

Egyptian toddler contracts bird flu virus

03 Apr 2009 17:20:09 GMT
Source: Reuters
CAIRO, April 3 (Reuters) -

An Egyptian toddler has contracted the highly pathogenic bird flu virus, the latest in an upswing of cases in the most populous Arab country, state news agency MENA said on Friday.

The case brings to 62 the number of confirmed cases of the H5N1 avian flu virus in Egypt, which has been hit harder by bird flu than any other country outside of Asia and has reported seven human infections since March 1.

The 21-month-old boy, Hassan Gamil Hassan Mohamed, is from the province of Beheira in northern Egypt and was in a "good" condition after being treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu, MENA reported.

The new infection came several days after a two-year-old boy from the same province contracted the virus.

MENA did not say how Mohamed contracted the virus, but most Egyptians who have fallen ill with bird flu are believed to have contracted the virus from infected household birds.

Egypt is one of the few countries affected by bird flu that does not compensate farmers when poultry is destroyed, though many experts say this is the best way to ensure the rapid detection of new outbreaks.

Since 2003 the H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected at least 410 people in 15 countries and killed 254 of them. 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 virus, most after coming 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.

While H5N1 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.

(Writing by Cynthia Johnston)
-

Reuters AlertNet - Egyptian toddler contracts bird flu virus

HenryN · #**170** April 3rd, 2009, 01:49 PM

Update map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...2,3.378296&z=8

HenryN · #**171** April 3rd, 2009, 02:15 PM

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...Beheira_2.html

HenryN · #**172** April 3rd, 2009, 02:47 PM

Egyptian toddler contracts bird flu

AFP/File – An Egyptian butcher washes chicken after slaughtering them in 2008. An Egyptian toddler has contracted …

45 mins ago
CAIRO (AFP) – An Egyptian toddler has contracted bird flu, the 62nd recorded case since the first outbreak of the disease in the country in 2006 and the second this week, state-news agency MENA reported on Friday.
Hassan Gamil Hassan, 21 months old, was hospitalised on Wednesday in the northern province of Beheira with a higher fever, MENA quoted the health ministry as saying.
A two-year-old was taken to hospital in Beheira on Monday. He had been exposed to dead fowl thought to have been infected with the virus.
Twenty-three people have died of bird flu in Egypt. Most of the victims have been young girls or women, who are generally in charge of looking after poultry in rural areas.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) called last month for an investigation into why many of the victims have been young children.
Egypt hosted an international conference on bird flu in October, when Washington pledged an additional 320 million dollars to the fight against the disease amid fears it may yet escalate into a global pandemic.
The H5N1 strain of the virus that is most dangerous to humans first emerged in Asia in 2003 and has since caused nearly 250 deaths, according to WHO figures.
Scientists fear that a mutation of the bird flu virus resulting in a strain easily transmitted among humans could create a pandemic, potentially affecting up to one-fifth of the world's population.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090403...egypthealthflu

HenryN · #**173** April 3rd, 2009, 03:31 PM

Earlier case:

New confirmed human case of avian influenza in Egypt (case no. 60)
Reported on 26 March 2009
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has reported a new confirmed human case of avian influenza (case no. 60) on 26 March 2009. The new case is a two and a half year old female from Qena district, Qena governorate. Her symptoms began on 23 March and she was hospitalized in Qena Fever Hospital on the 24 March. The child received treatment with Tamiflu on the same day of hospitalization. Infection with H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory on 26 March and the patient was referred to Manshet El Bakry Hospital in Cairo on the same day.

Investigations into the source of infection indicate a history of close contact with dead and sick poultry prior to becoming ill. The child’s condition is now improving and she is stable.

This brings the total number of human confirmed cases of avian influenza in Egypt up to 60 with 23 deaths.

http://www.emro.who.int/index.asp

AlaskaDenise · #**174** April 3rd, 2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...Beheira_2.html

Commentary

A Second H5N1 Confirmed Toddler In Beheira Egypt This Week
Recombinomics Commentary 19:08
April 3, 2009

The 21-month-old boy, Hassan Gamil Hassan Mohamed, is from the province of Beheira in northern Egypt and was in a "good" condition

The above comments describe the second confirmed H5N1 toddler from Beheira this week (see updated map). There have been 11 confirmed H5N1 cases in Egypt in 2009, and 10 of the 11 have been toddlers. To date, none have died, and only one of the 11 cases was initially described as critical. Instead these cases have been mild and do not appear to involve pneumonia. The lone adult case was only symptomatic for four days.

The high frequency and concentration of patients between the ages of 1 ½ and 2 ½ once again raises concerns that prior outbreaks involved large number of victims who developed protective immunity. Consequently, almost all bird flu cases this year involve toddlers. In the prior three years, only 6 of 51 confirmed cases were toddlers. In 2009 the number is 10/11.

The high number of H5N1 confirmed toddlers in 2009 is an increasing cause for concern.

.

HenryN · #**175** April 3rd, 2009, 04:36 PM

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...ler_Alarm.html

HenryN · #**176** April 3rd, 2009, 05:42 PM

The resurgence of bird flu in Egypt

الإصابة الـ ٦۲ بانفلونزا الطيور لطفل من محافظة البحيرة
Infection of bird flu to 62 children from the province of the lake

Updated 03.04.2009 17:01:44 UTC

أصيب طفل يدعى حسن جميل حسن محمد يبلغ من العمر عاما و۹ أشهر، من مديرية التحرير مركز بدر بمحافظة البحيرة، بمرض إنفلونزا الطيور، ليصبح الحالة رقم (٦۲) في مصر.

Old child, Hasan Jamil Hassan Mohammed, a year-old and 9 months, from the Directorate of Liberation in Beheira Badr Center, with bird flu, becoming the No. (62) in Egypt.

وذكر بيان لوزارة الصحة اليوم أن أعراض ظهور المرض على الطفل بدأت فى أول أبريل الحالي، وتم ادخاله مستشفى حميات مركز دمنهور، وعلاجه بعقار "التمافلو" فى نفس يوم دخوله المستشفى، حيث أن الطفل بصحة جيدة ومازال يتلقى العلاج.

A statement of the Ministry of Health said that the emergence of symptoms of the disease on the child started in the first of this month, has been admitted to hospital fevers Damanhour Center, and treated with "Altmavlo" in the same day he entered the hospital, where the child is still in good health and receiving treatment.

http://tinyurl.com/czjdf4

HenryN · #**177** April 3rd, 2009, 06:52 PM

2009 cases through last month

Date of report: 26 March 2009
Governorate: Qena
District: Qena
Event summary: Girl age 2½, began experiencing symptoms March 23. She was admitted to Qena Fever Hospital March 24 and received Tamiflu the same day. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 26, and the child was referred to Manshiyet el Bakry Hospital, Cairo. Her mother reported the child had close contact with a dead poultry. She was reported in a good general condition on March 18. The MOHP reported this was the 60th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt.
Source of report: Amr Kandeel, Undersecretary for preventative affairs, MOHP
Samir Refaie, Head of Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, MOHP
---------------------------------------
Date of report: 18 March 2009
Governorate: Assiut
District: El Fath
Event summary: Woman, age 38, began experiencing fever and headache March 14. She was admitted to Assiut Fever Hospital and given Tamiflu on March 14. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 18. The woman reported contact with dead and sick poultry. She was reported clinically free and in a good general condition on March 18. The MOHP reported this was the 59th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt.
Source of report: Amr Kandeel, Undersecretary for preventative affairs, MOHP
Samir Refaie, Head of Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, MOHP
---------------------------------------
Date of report: 10 March 2009
Governorate: Menoufiya
District: Menouf
Event summary: Girl, age 1½, began experiencing symptoms March 6. She was admitted to Menouf Fever Hospital upon showing symptoms of high fever and cough, and was given Tamiflu. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 10. The girl reportedly had a history of close contact with dead and sick poultry. The child was reported in a good general condition on March 10. The MOHP reported this was the 58th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt.
---------------------------------------
Date of report: 4 March 2009
Governorate: Alexandria
District: Amira
Event summary: Boy, age 2½, began experiencing symptoms March 3. The same day, he was admitted to Alexandria Fever Hospital and received Tamiflu. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 4. His family reported a history of close contact with dead and sick poultry. The child was in a good general condition March 4. The MOHP reported this was the 57th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt.
Source of report: Amr Kandeel, Undersecretary for preventative affairs, MOHP
Samir Refaie, Head of Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, MOHP
---------------------------------------
Date of report: 1 March 2009
Governorate: Fayoum
District: Youssef el Seddik
Event summary: Boy, age 2, began experiencing symptoms Feb. 25. He was admitted to Manshiet el Bakry General Hospital on Feb. 28. The child received Tamiflu the same day. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 1. His mother reported a history of close contact with dead and sick poultry. The child was in a critical condition under artificial ventilation March 1. The MOHP reported this was the 56th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt.
Source of report: Amr Kandeel, Undersecretary for preventative affairs, MOHP
Samir Refaie, Head of Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, MOHP---------------------------------------
9 February 2009: 1½-year-old boy in Minya (Maghagha) stable with AI
---------------------------------------
Date of report: 3 February 2009
Governorate: Suez
District: Ganain
Event summary: Boy, age 2, began experiencing symptoms Feb. 2.He was admitted to Suez Fever Hospital on Feb. 3; throat swab and blood samples were taken, and the child received Tamiflu the same day. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed Feb. 4. His mother reported a history of close contact with a dead poultry. The child was in a good general condition. The MOHP reported this was the 54rd case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt. 23 of the cases have been fatal.
Source of report: Ministry of Health and Population ESU
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 26 January 2009
Per the Ministry of Health and Population
Governorate: Menoufiya
District: Shebin Elkom
Event summary: Girl, age 2, began experiencing symptoms Jan. 23: She was admitted to Sherbin Elkom Fever Hospital and administered Tamiflu the same day. Infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory, according to the World Health organization. The MOHP said the girl was in good and stable condition Jan. 26. Her mother reported a history of close contact with sick poultry. The WHO reported this was the 53rd case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Egypt; 23 of the cases have been fatal.
See related report.
---------------------------------------------------
Date of report: 12 January 2009
Per the Ministry of Health and Population/Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance (ESU)
Governorate: Sixth of October
District: Kerdasa (urban area located in western Giza; population 460,000)
Village: Kafr Abu Hegazi (Saad Zaghloul Street near Abu Hegazi mosque)
Event summary: Female infant, 21 months old, began experiencing symptoms January 9 evening. The family kept unvaccinated poultry that had become sick and died in the previous week. Infant was taken to hospital January 10. AI was suspected on Jan. 11; patient isolated; tests taken. Results on January 12 showed AI; patient was given Tamiflu and transferred. Specimens from mother and other contacts tested negative. The child was reported in good, stable condition Jan. 14.
- This was Egypt's 52st human infection.
- For Sixth of October Governorate, it was the fourth suspected human infection but the first to be confirmed positive. For Kerdasa district, it was the first suspected human case.
Medical response: The infant around 8 p.m. January 9 began experiencing symptoms of fever, high temperature (41 C), cough, nasal discharge, vomiting, rapid breathing. Family sought medical care at Imbaba Fever Hospital on January 10.
- On January 11, case suspected as AI; patient isolated; specimen taken; Tamiflu administered at 1 p.m. Lab test of specimen returned positive for H5N1 virus on January 12; results by Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) and NAMRU-III. Case was referred to Manshiet el Bakry Hospital, Cairo.
- Specimens (blood samples and throat swabs) were taken at Imbaba Fever Hospital from mother and others who had contact with poultry; contacts were kept under supervision at home by Kerdasa Hospital health team. Negative results were found from specimen tests by CPHL.
Condition of the home: The family had raised poultry at home that were unvaccinated. Last quantity was 150 chickens, 22 ducks, and 8 geese.
- The mother said some poultry began dying about a week before the child became sick. During the week, the mother and her family slaughtered the remaining poultry that were sick: 70 chicken and 6 geese. ESU reported they kept some live ducks and sold some ducks in the local market; and discarded many of the dead poultry in the garbage and around an irrigation canal.
- ESU said samples from poultry and from slaughtered birds stored in the house refrigerators were tested by MALR's National Laboratory for Veterinary Quality Control on Poultry Production (NLQP); all were found positive for H5N1 virus. MALR/GOVS said NLQP found only live ducks, only frozen. MALR/GOVS said samples were also taken from a neighbor's house located across a narrow street and were found positive. See related report.
Findings of the Ministry of Health and Population's Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance (ESU): Mother's awareness and notification of dead poultry helped in early diagnosis and administering of Tamiflu (around 36 hours after the onset of the disease).

Laidback Al · #**178** April 4th, 2009, 12:35 AM

The case listing data in post #177 is derived from: http://www.saidr.org/en/humans.php#260309

This web site also has a map of animal and human H5N1 infections in Egypt. Care should be taken for any geo-analyses based on the maps because at least one of the human cases is misplotted. The 49th human cases in Egypt (April 2008), Walaa Ahmed Abdel Geleel, was reported as being from Al-Matariyah in the Cairo Governorate (approx. 30.116700, 31.316700). The SAIDR map identifies the 49th confirmed case from Matariya in the northern governorate of Ad Daqahliyah.

HenryN · #**179** April 4th, 2009, 06:43 AM

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/04...pt_Silent.html

HenryN · #**180** April 4th, 2009, 07:25 AM

New Bird Flu Case In Egypt Worries Europeans

Written by Stuart Stevens | Saturday, 04 April 2009 | There are 0 comments

Children often contract the bird flu virus in poorer areas
Confirmation from the Health Ministry in Egypt has come through regarding the death of an Egyptian boy from the bird flu virus. A Health Ministry spokesman explained that the two year old boy lived in the northern Egyptian province of Beheira about 80 miles north of Cairo.

Egypt has been hit by the bird flu virus many times and this case brings the number of human infections in the country to 61 and the number of deaths up to 23. Despite being admitted to hospital two days before dying and being given the best possible treatments the boy succumbed to the deadly high fever and respiratory problems that the virus brings on.
Most of the cases of the bird flu virus in humans have occurred inside Asia and therefore for European people the problem seems far away and distant however when cases are reported in Egypt health authorities in Europe start to take notice. There have been no human cases of the bird flu inside Europe yet.
Children often contract the bird flu virus in poor areas because they play with animals on farms. Because they have close respiratory contact with the animals due to their small size they contract the disease more easily than adults. In remote countryside areas in poor countries it is often too late by the time the virus is diagnosed for the children to be treated with bird flu medications such as Tamiflu.
The World Health Organisation which monitors all outbreaks of the bird flu virus report that over 400 individuals in fifteen different countries have been infected by the bird flu virus and that over 250 of them have died from it. The World Health Organisation has issued guidelines to all countries that they should have enough of the Tamiflu drug for 25 percent of their population to be treated just in case a bird flu pandemic breaks out which is easily transmittable between humans.

http://www.ukmedix.com/tamiflu/new_b...opeans4576.cfm