Egypt swine flu death toll rises to 63

Via Ahram Online :

" Sixty-three people have died from the H1N1 virus in Egypt since December, the health ministry said on Sunday.

Between Tuesday and Saturday last week 110 people were diagnosed with the virus – known as swine flu – eight of whom died.

A total of 539 people are suspected of having the virus.

Swine flu is a relatively new strain of influenza.

The beginning of the school year in Egypt has twice been postponed, due to security concerns and the outbreak of swine flu.

On Wednesday, the cabinet announced the academic year would start on 8 March."

Egypt : New bird flu case detected in Menoufiya

Via Ahram Online :

" Bird flu has hit the governorate of Menoufiya, with a new infected area found in the town of Fisha.

According to Ahmed Fouad, head of Veterinary Medicine in Menoufiya, the poultry in the house of one Ibrahim Gaber tested positive for the virus, The birds were slaughtered as a precautionary measure.

According to the World Health Organization, there have been 141 cases of human bird flu in Egypt since the virus was first detected in 2006, with 46 of them resulting in death."

Egypt : Poultry industry hit by avian flu, again

Via Ahram Online, excerpt :

" The Egyptian poultry industry fears it will greatly suffer from government efforts to prevent the spread of the avian flu. Many worry new strict regulations and rules will force them out of the already-problematic market.

With the advent of the winter season, threats of avian flu have resurfaced.

Earlier this month, the Egyptian Ministry of Health announced the death of a 30-year-old woman from Gharbiya governorate as a result of infection by the H5N1 avian influenza.

The H5N1 strain of avian flu, known as bird flu, appeared in Egypt in February 2006, and the poultry industry has been in a critical situation ever since as the government pursues its efforts to eradicate the disease.

In a bid to prevent the spread of bird flu this winter, Cairo Governor Abdel-Azim Wazir announced last month the closure of all Cairo’s chicken slaughterhouses.

Abdel-Aziz El-Sayed, head of the Poultry Division at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, said producers expressed surprise at the governor’s decision, which stated that dealing and selling live poultry was banned in Egypt."