According to the ministry, in statements reported by the official news agency MENA, the woman has been transferred to Cairo after developing symptoms similar to those of bird flu. She is currently being treated by the antiviral drug Tamiflu, ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shaheen was quoted by the news agency as saying.
Last week, a four-year-old girl was confirmed as having been infected with the virus in Minya, approximately 150 miles south of Cairo. She is being treated in Cairo where her condition is stable, MENA reported.
Egypt is the hardest hit nation outside of East Asia. The main reason is Egypt is on the migratory path of numerous birds due to its position between Asia, Europe and Africa. The temperate temperatures are ideal for many birds fleeing European winters.
The high infection rate among the human population in Egypt is often attributed to the lack of a concerted education effort by the ministry and people's need for live poultry to be present on their land. This gives more people the opportunity to come into contact with infected birds.
