Egyptian girl, 15, tests positive for bird flu

CAIRO, Apr 8 (Reuters) A 15-year-old Egyptian girl has tested positive for bird flu, the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported today, becoming the 34th human case in the country and the first in the capital.

A Health Ministry spokesman identified the girl as Marianna Kameel Mikhail from Cairo's Shubra district, MENA reported.

The girl was admitted to hospital on Thursday suffering from a high fever and is now being treated with Tamiflu and is in a stable condition, the agency said.

She contracted the virus after coming into contact with infected birds, MENA quoted the ministry spokesman as saying.

Egypt has the highest number of confirmed human bird flu cases outside Asia, and 13 Egyptians have died of bird flu since it first surfaced in the country's poultry a year ago.

Most of those who fell ill were reported to have had contact with sick or dead household birds, mainly in northern Egypt.

Reuters PDM GC1835