CAIRO: The Ministry of Health reported the 111th case of avian flu in Egypt, a two-year-old girl in Cairo, at the same time as a vaccine is being developed locally. Thirty-five people have died from the virus so far in Egypt. The girl started developing symptoms on Aug. 2 and is currently receiving treatment in a public hospital. But officials maintain that there is no reason to worry. The head of the General Authority for Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mohamed Mostafa El Garhy, told state-run Al-Ahram newspaper that the situation is completely under control and there is no threat from the H5N1 virus at the moment due to the high temperatures. In addition, the Authority is currently taking all the necessary precautions to prepare for winter when the virus is most active. It has arranged awareness programs to people involved in the poultry industry, whether at farms or individuals at home in rural areas. At the same time, a local vaccine against bird flu was developed at the Agriculture Research Center. The vaccine was approved by all laboratory researchers and scientists in the veterinary field, the head of the National Institute for Animal Health Research at the center, Mona Mehraz, told official news portal egynews.net. Scientists, researchers and veterinary experts in Egypt are also working on a thorough epidemiological map of the country and all the necessary information on Egypt and neighboring countries. The aim is to aid decision-makers in facing an epidemic or any biological threat to poultry and animals. They are also working on a national awareness bio-security campaign. A source inside the Veterinary Authority explained that under this campaign, poultry workers and those employed in the meat and diary products industry undergo training programs informing them of how to protect their animals in the various stages of growth and production.
