15 December 2011 - The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has notified WHO of two cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

The two cases are a mother and her young child from Dakahlia Governorate. Both developed symptoms on 26 November 2011.??The mother was admitted to a Hospital on 1 December 2011 and received oseltamivir on admission. The child was hospitalised on 2 December 2011 and received oseltamivir on admission. The mother was 24 weeks pregnant. She died on 3 December 2011. The child is in stable condition.

Investigations into the source of infection indicate that both cases had exposure to sick and dead backyard poultry (chicken and turkeys).

The case was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Centre of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network, on 3 December 2011.

Of the 155 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 53 have been fatal.