The announcement of the boy from Menoufia governorate, a few hours from Cairo, comes only a day after the ministry of health reported that a 25-year-old woman died as a result of the deadly virus.
Egypt is one of the hardest hit nations by the deadly avian flu outside East Asia due to its position as a main route for migratory birds. Experts say that birds brought the disease to Egypt, which has been able to spread more rapidly because of the poor financial resources available to make the public aware of the disease.
Women and children are the most susceptible to the virus as they are more likely to handle dead poultry that has been infected, especially in poorer areas of the country away from the capital.
The health ministry has called for a wider education plan in order to help make the larger public aware of the threat the virus poses on people and poultry. Since January 1, at least five people have died from the H5N1 strain of the virus after a period of nearly six months without a fatality.
