Egypt – Avian Influenza, 42 case, 17th death
30 Dec 2007
Reuters Foundation AlertNet [edited]
A 25-year-old Egyptian woman died of bird flu on Sunday [30 Dec 2007], the 2nd fatality among humans in Egypt in less than one week, the Health Ministry said. Her death was the 17th in Egypt since the deadly virus arrived in February 2006, and it was the 42nd case of bird flu reported among humans in the Arab world's most populous country. The Health Ministry said that the latest victim was suspected of handling sick domestic birds, the usual way of contracting the virus in Egypt. On Wednesday last week [19 Dec 2007], another 25-year-old woman died of bird flu in Beni Suef province south of Cairo, the 1st case this winter season. The health ministry said on Thursday [27 Dec 2007] that 2 other Egyptians had contracted the disease and were receiving treatment.
Updates : 1 Jan 2008 - Xinhua News Agency
2 Jan 2008 - World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news
3 Jan 2008 - World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news
12 Jan 2008 - Agence France-Presse report
13 Jan 2008 - IRIN News

Egypt - Avian influenza situation - WHO update
28 Dec 2007
World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) disease outbreak news [edited]
The Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt has announced 2 new cases of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The 1st case is a 50-year-old female from Domiatt Governorate. She was hospitalized on 24 Dec 3007 and is in critical condition. The 2nd case is a 22-year-old female chicken seller from Menofia Governorate. She was hospitalized on 26 Dec 2007 and is presently recovering in intensive care. Both women had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to illness onset.

Egypt – Avian Influenza, 39 case, 16th fatality
26 Dec 2007
World Health Organisation, CSR, Disease Outbreak News [edited]
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The case is a 25-year-old female from Bany Suwef Governorate. She was hospitalized on 21 Dec 2007 and died on 25 Dec 2007. The source of her exposure is currently under investigation. Egypt reported the last confirmed case of H5N1 in July 2007. Of the 39 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 16 have been fatal.

Saudi Arabia – Ostriches
15 Dec 2007
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
Saudi Arabia's agriculture ministry has ordered 13 500 ostriches to be destroyed following a new outbreak of bird flu in the kingdom, the Al-Watan newspaper reported on Saturday [15 Dec 2007]. The outbreak of the H5N1 strain of the disease that is dangerous to humans was reported on Thursday [13 Dec 2007] evening at a farm in the Al-Kharj region, 80 km (50 mi) south of Riyadh, the Arabic language daily said. Last month [November 2007], the Saudi authorities ordered nearly 4 million birds culled in the face of at least 14 separate outbreaks of avian influenza. There have been no reports of the disease spreading to humans in the oil-rich desert kingdom.

Saudi Arabia – Falcons
11 Dec 2007
Gulfnews.com [edited]
Last week tests were carried out at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai on a[n imported] wild saker falcon (Falco cherrug) from Saudi Arabia, reported Wildlife Middle East News. The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 was diagnosed in the falcon and it died shortly after being admitted to a falcon hospital in Riyadh. No post-mortem examinations or diagnostic tests were carried out to establish the cause of death. The falcon showed non-specific signs, including low appetite, regurgitation and passing of green-coloured liquids. According to the report the diagnosis included high white cell count. Samples have been sent to the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute in Germany for further virus identification studies. The falcon was part of a large group of wild-caught sakers imported into the kingdom from Central Asia. According to reports, a large proportion of these falcons died showing similar symptoms. Bird flu was initially detected at a poultry farm in Saudi Arabia and 50 000 birds were culled, the Agriculture Ministry announced on 14 Nov 2007. Tests were carried out after 1500 birds died in a farm in Al Kharj region, 150km [93.2 miles] south of Riyadh. No human case has been found and an investigation was taking place to determine the origin of the illness.

Pakistan – Avian Influenza
11 Dec 2007
The Post (Islamabad) [edited]
Sources told The Post on Mon [12 Dec 2007] that 3 suspected cases of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus have been detected in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Of these 3 cases, 2 people died and the Ministry of Health has collected samples to determine the cause of their deaths. Sources said about 3 weeks ago the Ministry of Health obtained blood samples of people suspected of being infected with bird flu virus, but their results have yet to be announced. Ministry officials said on 21 Oct [2007], bird flu virus H5N1 was confirmed at Ijaz Shah Poultry Farm in Abbotabad and a veterinarian, Dr Ishtiaq Durrani, from the NWFP Livestock Department was tasked with culling as many as 3000 hens in Abbotabad from 21 to 23 Oct 2007. As many as 200 [208 as of 13 Dec 2007 according to WHO - Mod.CP] people have died of bird flu virus all over the world but no case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus has been confirmed so far.
Related stories :
15 Dec 2007 - WHO Disease Outbreak News
The Ministry of Health in Pakistan has informed WHO of 8 suspected human cases of H5N1 avian influenza infection in the Peshawar area of the country. These cases were detected following a series of culling operations in response to outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry. One of the cases has now recovered and a further 2 suspected cases have since died. Samples taken from the suspected cases have tested positive for H5N1 in the national laboratory and are being forwarded to a WHO H5 Reference Laboratory for confirmation and further analysis. WHO is providing technical support to the MoH in epidemiological investigations, reviewing the surveillance, prevention and control measures that have been implemented and carrying out sequencing of avian and human virus isolates.
27 Dec 2007 - Pakistan - Avian influenza situation - WHO Update
World Health Organisation (WHO), CSR, Disease Outbreak News [edited]
The 1st case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza has been confirmed in Pakistan. Laboratory tests conducted by the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory in Cairo, Egypt and WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Influenza, in London, United Kingdom, have confirmed the presence of avian influenza virus strain A(H5N1) in samples collected from one case in an affected family.
27 Dec 2007 - Pakistan- WHO Confirmation,
Reuters Health [edited]
The outbreak followed a culling of infected chickens in the Peshawar region, in which a veterinary doctor was involved. Subsequently he and 3 of his brothers developed proven or suspected pneumonia. The brothers cared for one another and had close personal contact both at home and in the hospital, a WHO spokesman in Geneva said. One of them, who was not involved in the culling, died on 23 Nov 2007. His was the human-to-human transmission case confirmed by the WHO. The others all recovered. It was the 1st human-to-human case of H5N1 transmission in Pakistan, while others have been confirmed in Indonesia and Thailand in similar circumstances of what the WHO calls close contacts in a very circumscribed area.
9 Jan 2008 The Canadian Press

Saudi Arabia – Avian Influenza
14 Nov 2007
AFP via Alarabiya
The lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu has been detected at a poultry farm in Saudi Arabia, and 50 000 birds have been culled, the agriculture ministry announced on Wednesday [14 Nov 2007]. It said tests were carried out after 1500 birds died in a farm of the Al-Kharj region, 150 km (90 miles) south of Riyadh. In April 2007, neighboring Kuwait culled 1.7 million birds after the strain was found, but there were no reports of human cases.
Related stories
19 Nov 2007 - Saudi- Arabia - Highly pathogenic Avian Influenza
OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly disease information 2007; 20(47) [edited]
Date of confirmation of event: 13 Nov 2007
Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: 27 Mar 2007
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to: entire country Outbreak 1: Hiathem, Ar Riyad
Date of start of outbreak: 14 Nov 2007 Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals Species: birds
Destroyed: 57 000
Affected population: broiler breeder chickens and layer chickens
Outbreak 2: Dhurma, Ar Riyad
Date of start of outbreak: 14 Nov 2007
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals Species: birds
Destroyed: 40 000
Affected population: broiler breeder chickens and layer chickens
Outbreak 3: Al-Muzahmiyah, Ar Riyad
Date of start of outbreak: 14 Nov 2007
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals Species: birds
Destroyed 75 000
Affected population: broiler breeder chickens and layer chickens
Outbreak 4: Al-Kharj, Ar Riyad
Date of start of outbreak: 12 Nov 2007 Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals Species: birds
Susceptible: 50 000 Cases: 1500 Deaths: 1500
Destroyed: 48 500
Affected population: broiler breeder chickens and layer chickens
Total outbreaks: 4
Total animals affected Species: birds
Susceptible: 50 000 Cases: 1500
Deaths: 1500 Destroyed: 220 500 Slaughtered: 0
20 Nov 2007 - Saudi Arabia – Avian Influenza (Riyadh)
Arab News [edited]
A poultry market in the Aziziyah district of Riyadh was cordoned off after inspectors identified 4 cases of bird flu there yesterday [19 Nov 2007] during a random inspection. An emergency team, assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture to control the deadly virus, cordoned the market off. The team comprises officials from the police, the municipality, the ministries of health and agriculture, and the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWD). According to a statement issued yesterday [19 Nov 2007] by the undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, the authorities have so far culled 222 000 birds in Al-Kharj, Durma, Muzamiyah, and Al-Hayati. Bird flu was discovered earlier this year [2007] in peacocks, turkeys, and parrots at a house in the east of the Kingdom. This led to a number of birds in the area being destroyed. The recent outbreak of the disease has led to poultry farm workers being examined by Ministry of Health doctors. All workers have so far tested negative.
26 Nov 2007 - Saudi Arabia – A.I. Preparedness and Hajj
Reuters [edited]
More cases of a deadly strain of bird flu have been found at a poultry farm in Saudi Arabia just weeks before Muslims travel to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Monday [26 Nov 2007]. Saudi authorities killed 50 000 birds in al-Kharj earlier this month [November 2007] after 1500 birds died of unspecified causes, and inspection teams have since then culled thousands more at markets around the capital of around 4 million people. 5 Dec 2007 - Saudi Arabia – Avian Influenza
Arabian Business [edited]
Saudi Arabia killed close to 60 000 birds on Tuesday [3 Dec 2007] in the latest discovery of the deadly disease in the kingdom, bringing the total number birds culled to around 4 million. The discovery at another table-egg farm in the Al-Kharj region south of the capital Riyadh is the 15th in the area, as fears continue to grow that the disease may spread to other parts of the kingdom. Concerns over the spread of the H5N1 strain have grown steadily in recent weeks as Saudi Arabia prepares for the Hajj, with around 3 million of pilgrims expected to gather in the holy cities of Mecca and Median.

Pakistan (North-West Frontier Province, NWFP) – Avian Influenza
2 Nov 2007
The Post (Lahore, Pakistan) [edited]
More than 45 000 chicks were burnt and buried by Buttle Ehtsham Breeder Farm after it was confirmed that they were suffering from bird flu, The Post learnt here on Thursday [1 Nov 2007]. According to details, on 26 Oct 2007, the Ehtsham poultry farm got a report about the spread of bird flu, the livestock director sent the samples to Islamabad for testing. Later after receiving positive reports, more than 45 000 chicks were burnt and buried so that the virus might not affect other poultry farms.

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