February 20, 2006

Tests confirm H5N1 outbreak in Egypt

A UN official Friday (Feb 17) said tests on dead birds in Egypt confirmed an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Dr Talib Elham of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Cairo said the disease had apparently moved north to Cairo in an infected turkey that was taken to market in the capital.

Other outbreaks were found in flocks kept in backyard gardens and rooftop coops in Giza, just across the Nile river from Cairo. Positive tests also were reported from birds in the southern Egyptian cities of Minya and Qena.

Egypt is the largest Arab country and the population--which often lives in cramped conditions--depends heavily on chickens and turkey for food. Millions of Egyptians keep live chickens in gardens and in rooftop coops.

The countyr's agriculture minister said Saturday the number of cases of bird flu in the country were not high enough to warrant large-scale culling of poultry at this stage, but that authorities would act accordingly if the disease spreads.