Woman and Child Die of Bird Flu in Egypt, Death Toll Rises to 5

A woman and child died of H5N1 bird flu, the Egyptian health ministry announced on Monday.

Egyptian health ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said that the six-year-old child died in Minya province on Monday evening, after a 47-year-old woman succumbed to the disease in Assiut province earlier in the day.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

According to the official, the total number of flu cases detected so far this year has risen to 20. This includes five deaths as well as six recoveries and nine cases still under treatment.

“There has been a jump in the number of H5N1 infections in people in Egypt, but that there does not appear to have been any major genetic change in the flu strain to explain the rise in human cases,” says a statement from The World Health Organization (WHO).

At least 10 people died from the disease in Egypt in 2014.

New Step Towards the Fight Against H5N1 Bird Flu
A new test has been developed by a University of Adelaide-led project that can distinguish between birds that have been vaccinated against the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus or bird flu with those that have been naturally infected.

The WHO said that there were 18 new laboratory-confirmed human cases of H5N1 infection in Egypt between Dec. 4 and Jan. 6, including four deaths. This is the highest ever monthly number of human cases in the country.

Scientists Develop New Method to Help Eradicate H5N1 Bird Flu
A new test that can differentiate between birds that have been vaccinated against the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus with those that have been naturally infected has been developed.

Source-Medindia

H5N1 Bird Flu Needs 5 Mutations to Spread Among Humans
Researchers from the Netherlands have found out that just five favorable mutations are enough to make H5N1 bird flu virus spread among humans through coughing or sneezing, like regular flu viruses.