H5N1 in Egypt Spreads to Qena
Recombinomics Commentary 09:03
December 30, 2007
Avian influenza attacked more than 8 Egyptian governorates during the Eid al-Adha as appeared several hotbeds infected with H5N1 in the governorates of Menoufiya, East [Ash Sharqiyah] and West [Al Gharbiyah], Qaliubiya, Beni Suef, Qena, Cairo, was the surprise that these cases emerged in the farm, which claimed officials with the Ministry of Agriculture said that it had no hope of avian influenza in return
The above translation describes the spread of H5N1 in Egypt. Some of these outbreaks may overlap earlier reports, but the list above includes Qena, which extends newly reported outbreaks to the south (see satellite map), where there was a human cluster last season.
The translation above also notes that H5N1 is again appearing on farms, in spite of a major vaccination program. Although farms were affected at the beginning of 2006, the outbreaks at the end of 2006 and beginning of 2007 were largely confined to backyard holdings.
The rapid spread to multiple locations, including farms, raises concerns that the Uva Lake strain is moving into Egypt.
Sequence data on these new outbreaks would be useful
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