H5N1 claims first African victim:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Egyptian ministry of health yesterday confirmed the country's first case of human infection with the H5N1 virus, making it also the first avian flu death in Africa. The patient, a 30-year-old woman from the Qaliubiya governorate, near Cairo, developed symptoms in early March and died within 24 hours of being hospitalised. Testing was conducted by the Cairo-based US Naval Medical Research Unit, NAMRU-3. Diagnostic verification and further analysis is being conducted by a WHO collaborating laboratory. The news follows World Health Organization warnings to health authorities across the continent to rapidly develop surveillance systems and healthcare services.