Sixth Egyptian dies of bird flu - WHO

CAIRO, May 18 (Reuters) A 75-year-old woman died of bird flu in Egypt today, the sixth death caused by the disease, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said.

John Jabbour said the woman was from Minya in southern Egypt. She had been in contact with infected poultry, he said, quoting information provided by the Egyptian authorities.

Jabbour said the case had been reported too late for the antiviral Tamiflu treatment to have any effect. Infected people need to receive Tamiflu within two days of the appearance of bird flu symptoms, he said.

''This is what is going on in Egypt. Contact with infected poultry and late reporting of symptoms,'' Jabbour said.

The WHO has confirmed that 13 people have been infected with bird flu in Egypt. Eight of those infected have fully recovered.

The United Nations' chief bird flu expert this week praised Egypt's response to bird flu. Surveillance of bird flu had helped to keep the human case mortality rate very low, he said.

Egypt's first human bird flu infection was reported in mid-March.

REUTERS PR ND1630