Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Egypt: 2 More Children Test Positive For H5N1

 

# 592

 

 

Reuters is reporting this story, with scant details for now.  

 

 

Two Egyptian children test positive for bird flu

27 Mar 2007 11:10:06 GMT

 

CAIRO, March 27 (Reuters) - Two Egyptian children have tested positive for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, bringing the total number of human cases in the most populous Arab country to 29, Egypt's health ministry said on Tuesday.

 

A health ministry official said a 6-year-old girl had tested positive in the province of Qena and a 5-year-old boy had tested positive in Minya on Monday.

 

The question remains, why should Egypt have so many human infections when other countries with the H5N1 virus endemic in poultry report none?

 

Is there something different about the virus circulating in Egypt?  Or is it simply that Egyptian authorities are doing a better job screening for cases?