Egyptian man dies from H5N1 infection
A 34-year-old Egyptian man whose H5N1 avian flu case was announced in late June has died, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in a statement.
The man, from Minya governorate, was a construction worker who got sick on Jun 15 and was hospitalized Jun 22 after his symptoms didn't improve after several clinic visits. His H5N1 infection was confirmed by Egypt's central lab on Jun 25, which prompted an announcement the next day by the country's health ministry.
The man was transferred to a hospital in Cairo on Jun 25, where he had been listed in critical condition. He died on Jul 7, according to the WHO.
An investigation revealed that the man had contact with sick poultry at a market near his home before he became ill. Contact tracing has turned up no other people with flulike symptoms.
His illness is Egypt's third H5N1 infection and first fatality from the disease so far this year. The country's overall total is 176 cases, 64 of them fatal. The global total is 667, the WHO said at the end of June. The man's death would push the overall fatality count to 394.
Jul 8 WHO statement
Jun 26 CIDRAP News scan "H5N1 hospitalizes Egyptian man"
Jun 27 WHO influenza at the human-animal interface update
WHO pandemic prep program to begin in 4 European nations
Four Eurasian countries are first in line in the WHO's European Region to benefit from the agency's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, according to a WHO announcement yesterday.
The PIP Framework, adopted by the WHO's 64th World Health Assembly in May 2011, is "a unique partnership between industry, civil society and governments to improve pandemic preparedness and access to antiviral medicines and vaccines," says the notice. Plans for implementation of the framework are being launched at a meeting in Copenhagen that began yesterday and concludes tomorrow.
The European Region countries to benefit initially are Armenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The first step in implementing the PIP Framework will be to strengthen surveillance systems in the countries. Representatives from the four nations are currently working with WHO staff to make specific and detailed plans to accomplish this.
Countries participating in the framework are responsible for sharing any influenza viruses considered to have pandemic potential with the WHO through national influenza centers. Among responsibilities of participating industries are yearly donations to the program.
Jul 8 WHO notice
WHO PIP Framework home page