Avian flu cause of Egyptian woman's death

March 19, 2006

A 30 year old Egyptian woman has died from an infection with the H5N1 strain of the avian flu. The cause of death was confirmed by the Cairo-based US Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU). The woman was keeping birds in her home in violation of a government ban on the practice. The Egyptian Health Ministry has also reported that initial tests of a 28 year old man indicate that his is the second case of human infection in Egypt. Both cases were from the same area in the country, and both people reportedly were treated with the drug Tamiflu. Doctors are expecting the man to survive.

Nearly 100 people worldwide have died from the H5N1 virus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).