- Hello, Jeff -
-
- "However, pharmacies are forbidden
from selling Tamiflu, because, if taken irresponsibly, it becomes ineffective."
-
- They should also add that misuse, overuse
and abuse of this drug leads to development of antiviral resistance. The
drug is also dangerous and can cause side effects.
-
- Patty
-
- UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
-
-
- Egypt - Fourth Suspected Human
Case of
- Avian Flu Stable, Government
Says
-
- All Africa.com
- 3-22-6
-
- CAIRO -- The fourth suspected human case of bird flu is steadily recovering,
according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
-
- "He is in good shape," Ibrahim
al-Kerdany, WHO spokesman said in Cairo. "He was given Tamiflu as
soon as he arrived in hospital and his condition is steady."
-
- Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Ghani Ghobashi,
17, worked on a poultry farm owned by his father, and was exposed to infected
birds, al-Kerdany added.
-
- The Ministry of Health announced his
condition on 21 March, bringing the total count of confirmed and suspected
human infections in Egypt up to four in less than one week.
-
- Ghobashi's is the first case to occur
in Gharbiya province, 50 km north of Cairo.
-
- Meanwhile, the condition of a third human
case of avian influenza is stable, Ministry of Health officials said on
Tuesday, and a speedy recovery is expected.
-
- "She is in intensive care, but her
condition is stable," ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahine said.
"We expect she will recover."
-
- Fatima Mohamed Yousef, 30, was hospitalised
on 20 March, showing symptoms of the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird
flu.
-
- "Her condition was poor when she
was hospitalised," Shahine said. "She should have been brought
in earlier." She reportedly continued to work with chickens despite
a ban imposed in mid-February.
-
- Her illness was announced on Monday by
the country's health minister Hatem al-Gabali.
-
- Fatima Yousef, from Qaliubiya province,
40 km north of Cairo, is the third reported human case of bird flu in Egypt.
Of the other two, one died on 17 March, while the other has recovered and
is expected to be discharged from hospital within 24 hours, officials said.
"He has made a full recovery," Shahine said.
-
- Meanwhile, there are four additional
suspected cases. The results of their tests are due to be announced tonight.
-
- One reason for the apparent recurrence
of human cases in Qaliubiya province is the fact that, until initial reports
of H5N1 incidences among birds in mid-February, this was the most active
poultry-producing governorate in the country.
-
- "Thirty-five percent of Egyptian
poultry industry activity was concentrated in Qaliubya," Shahine said.
"And bird flu can only be contracted through regular contact with
infected birds." It cannot be contracted by eating cooked chicken
or eggs.
-
- All three of the confirmed cases among
humans, who appear to have been unrelated, worked in the poultry industry
or kept chickens in their homes.
-
- In addition, the confirmation of the
first human death has led to growing alarm and large numbers of people
are seeking tests at local hospitals. The vast majority have tested negative,
Shahine said. Those who are kept in hospital under supervision, awaiting
results, are issued with Tamiflu capsules free of charge as a precautionary
measure. Tamiflu can cure bird flu only if is taken during the initial
phases of disease.
-
- However, pharmacies are forbidden from
selling Tamiflu, because, if taken irresponsibly, it becomes ineffective.
-
- Public health authorities have been on
alert since the first case of the virus was reported among birds in mid-February.
Since then, over 10 million chickens and domestic birds have been culled
nationwide by order of the government, crippling the poultry industry and
badly affecting its workers.
-
- A ban on the importation of live fowl
and the domestic transport of birds has also been introduced and enforced.
To date, infected birds have been reported in 17 out of Egypt's 26 governorates,
according to the health ministry.
-
- (This report does not necessarily reflect
the views of the United Nations)
-
- Patricia A. Doyle, DVM, PhD
- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
- Univ of West Indies
-
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at:
- http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php
- Also my new website:
- http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
|
