CAIRO (AFP) - A 25-year-old woman from northern Egypt has been diagnosed as having contracted the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, the health ministry announced on Sunday.

Naima Abdu Gamil from the coastal town of Damietta went to her local hospital Saturday complaining of high temperature, ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shaheen told the official MENA news agency.

She was diagnosed as having contracted bird flu and was sent to Cairo where she is being treated with Tamiflu, he said.

Gamil had been working with domestic poultry which had exhibited symptoms of the disease. Others in her family are now being tested.

She became the 38th case of the virus reported in Egypt since the first outbreak was announced in February 2006.

Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus due to their role in taking care of domestic fowl.

A 10-year-old girl died of bird flu earlier in June, bringing to 15 the number of fatalities in Egypt.

Egypt´s geographical location on major bird migration routes and the widespread practice of keeping domestic fowl near living quarters have led to it being the hardest-hit country outside of Asia.

The government says it is conducting a vigorous campaign to combat the spread of the virus through vaccinations and raising awareness, but cases continue to appear.

In June, the World Health Organisation said the fight against bird flu has improved around the world, but the situation remains critical in Egypt and Indonesia where the risk of the H5N1 virus mutating into a major human threat remains high.

Egypt and Indonesia remained high-risk because of the permanent contact that many people in both nations have with domesticated birds.