NEWS SCAN: Egypt reports H5N1 infection, outbreaks strike Egypt, Vietnam

May 14, 2009

Another Egyptian child infected with H5N1
Egypt's health ministry said today in a statement to MENA, the country's news agency, that a 4-year-old boy from Sharkiya governorate has been hospitalized with H5N1 avian influenza, Reuters reported. If the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms the boy's illness, he will be listed as Egypt's 70th case, of which 23 have been fatal. The boy reportedly had contact with sick birds in his household. He is receiving oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and is in stable condition.

Three more H5N1 outbreaks in Egyptian poultry
Animal health officials in Egypt reported three more H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks, according to reports from Strengthening Avian Influenza Detection and Response (SAIDR). All were confirmed on May 12. The virus struck vaccinated backyard birds in Gharbiya governorate, a large commercial poultry farm where the birds were vaccinated in Sixth of October governorate, and backyard birds of mixed vaccination status in Sohag governorate, near the home of a 4-year-old boy who was reported on Apr 21 as Egypt's 67th H5N1 case. [SAIDR H5N1 outbreak reports]

Avian flu strikes Vietnamese duck farm
Vietnam's agriculture ministry today reported an H5N1 avian flu outbreak on a duck farm in the country's southwestern Dong Thap province, Xinhua, China's state news agency, reported. The virus struck 49 of 142 ducks. The ministry said two other provinces have recently had H5N1 outbreaks, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ngai, both in central Vietnam. [May 14 Xinhua story]