GENEVA: Egypt has reported its 46th case of bird flu in a human being after an 11-year-old boy tested positive for the H5N1 strain, the UN health agency said Wednesday. The boy from Menufiya governorate was hospitalized with symptoms on Feb. 26, the World Health Organization said on its website. Egypt is one of the countries most affected by the H5N1 strain outside Asia, where the outbreak began in 2003. The country lies on a main route for migratory birds, which are believed to have brought the disease. Experts also link outbreaks in countries such as Egypt to a lack of financial resources and public awareness about the disease. The H5N1 strain has hit 45 countries and led to the culling of millions of birds worldwide. The virus has infected more than 340 people and killed at least 212 since 2003, mostly in Asia. In Egypt, 20 people have so far died from the virus. -AP
