sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
I can't tell what is going on. The Ministry of Health is very inconsistent. For most of the last 3 years their health reporting has been non-existent. In the last few months their website was re-established and some reports are posted. However, many reports are distributed to the media without any backup on the official ministry website. Media reporting is not 100% accurate.
It appears to me that the widespread bird flu H5N1 infections in poultry are causing widespread suspected and actual cases in humans. The Ministry of Health is not providing a reliable picture of events. Yesterday there was a media report - not substantiated on the ministry website - that the Ministry of Health had tallied 7 total H5N1 cases so far for 2015. Well, they have announced several cases this year - most with onset dates in late December. Are these the cases that they are referring to - or are there 3 or 4 new cases in the last couple of days in Egypt? Without any details it is impossible to know.
Regardless - it appears Egypt has a growing problem. Please see the following recent articles for a perspective:
Egypt - 3 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases in Assiut, 3 others test negative - Assiut governorate - January 9
Egypt - Media report: 5 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases hospitalized in Menoufia - tests pending - January 9
Egypt - 2 new suspected bird flu H5N1 cases - Menoufia governorate - January 8
Egypt - High school student suspected bird flu H5N1 case - tests pending - Sharqia governorate - January 6
Egypt records the first bird flu H5N1 deaths (2) in young children in at least 4 years - January 5
Egypt - 2 people test positive for bird flu H5N1 - Minya governorate - January 4
Egypt - Sharqia official declares state of emergency after woman, 44, tests positive locally for bird flu H5N1 - MoH tests pending - January 4
Egypt - MoH announces 2 new H5N1 cases - January 1, 2015, 1 died - January 3
Egypt - Fayoum governorate health department denies bird flu H5N1 death - January 3
Egypt - Media report: Girl. 4. tests positive for bird flu H5N1 - Sharqia governorate - January 1
Egypt - 5 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases in Damietta governorate - tests pending - January 1
Egypt - MoH confirms child, 3, bird flu H5N1 positive - Giza governorate - died - December 31
Egypt - APHCA - Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific, HPAI Situation Update 31/12/2014 - H5N1
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Egypt - 2015 WHO/MoH/Provincial Health Depts H5N1 Confirmed Case List
Egypt - 2014 WHO/MoH/Provincial Health Depts H5N1 Confirmed Case List
It appears to me that the widespread bird flu H5N1 infections in poultry are causing widespread suspected and actual cases in humans. The Ministry of Health is not providing a reliable picture of events. Yesterday there was a media report - not substantiated on the ministry website - that the Ministry of Health had tallied 7 total H5N1 cases so far for 2015. Well, they have announced several cases this year - most with onset dates in late December. Are these the cases that they are referring to - or are there 3 or 4 new cases in the last couple of days in Egypt? Without any details it is impossible to know.
Regardless - it appears Egypt has a growing problem. Please see the following recent articles for a perspective:
Egypt - 3 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases in Assiut, 3 others test negative - Assiut governorate - January 9
Egypt - Media report: 5 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases hospitalized in Menoufia - tests pending - January 9
Egypt - 2 new suspected bird flu H5N1 cases - Menoufia governorate - January 8
Egypt - High school student suspected bird flu H5N1 case - tests pending - Sharqia governorate - January 6
Egypt records the first bird flu H5N1 deaths (2) in young children in at least 4 years - January 5
Egypt - 2 people test positive for bird flu H5N1 - Minya governorate - January 4
Egypt - Sharqia official declares state of emergency after woman, 44, tests positive locally for bird flu H5N1 - MoH tests pending - January 4
Egypt - MoH announces 2 new H5N1 cases - January 1, 2015, 1 died - January 3
Egypt - Fayoum governorate health department denies bird flu H5N1 death - January 3
Egypt - Media report: Girl. 4. tests positive for bird flu H5N1 - Sharqia governorate - January 1
Egypt - 5 suspected bird flu H5N1 cases in Damietta governorate - tests pending - January 1
Egypt - MoH confirms child, 3, bird flu H5N1 positive - Giza governorate - died - December 31
Egypt - APHCA - Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific, HPAI Situation Update 31/12/2014 - H5N1
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Egypt - 2015 WHO/MoH/Provincial Health Depts H5N1 Confirmed Case List
Egypt - 2014 WHO/MoH/Provincial Health Depts H5N1 Confirmed Case List