Egypt reports 16th bird flu death

An Egyptian woman died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu, the 16th person to succumb to the virus in Egypt, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

Oula Yunes Ali, 25, died on Tuesday after being admitted to hospital on Friday with a high fever, ministry spokesman Abdel Shahin said.

Ali was hospitalized with fever and respiratory problems after spending time in proximity to infected birds at home. Her family will now undergo tests to see if they have been infected.

It was the 39th case of reported human bird flu infection since the virus first appeared in Egypt in February 2006.

Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus due to their role in taking care of domestic fowl. A 10-year-old girl was the last person to die from the disease in Egypt in June.

Egypt's location on major bird migration routes and the widespread practice of keeping domestic fowl near living quarters have led to it being the hardest-hit country outside Asia.

The government says it is conducting a vigorous campaign to combat the spread of the virus through vaccinations and raising awareness, but cases continue to appear.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this year that countries around the world had improved their resistance to bird flu, but the situation remains critical in Egypt and Indonesia where the risk of the H5N1 virus mutating into a major human threat remains high.

Egypt and Indonesia remained high-risk because of the permanent contact that many people in both nations have with domesticated birds.