An Egyptian woman died from bird flu on friday. The bird flu virus has killed 11 people in Egypt, which has the largest cluster of human bird flu cases outside Asia.
Warda Eid Ahmed, 27, from Beni Suef province, south of Cairo, was transferred to hospital in the capital one week ago suffering from pneumonia. Eight other people who tested positive have recovered since the virus first surfaced in Egyptian poultry in February last year.
Bird flu has killed at least 161 people worldwide since 2003, according to the most recent World Health Organisation figures. There are fears that millions could die if the virus were to mutate into a form that passes easily from person to person.
Bird flu is a viral respiratory disease, mainly of birds including poultry and waterbirds but also transmissible to humans. Symptoms in humans include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, and muscle aches. Severe infections can result in life-threatening complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory illness.