12 March 2010 -- The Ministry of Health of Egypt has announced two new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection.

The first case is a 20 year-old pregnant female from El Khanka district, Qaliobia Governorate. She was hospitalized on 5 March where she received oseltamivir treatment and died on 9 March.

The second case is a 1 and a half year-old male from Elhamool district, Kfr Elsheikh Governorate. He was hospitalized on 2 March, where he received oseltamivir treatment. He is in a stable condition.

Investigations into the source of infection indicated that the two cases had exposure to sick and dead poultry.

The cases were confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Center of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN).

Egyptian authorities have also reported the death of a previously announced case; the 53 year-old male from Shobra Elkhima district, Qaliobia Governorate who developed symptoms on 27 February.

Of the 106 laboratory confirmed cases of Avian influenza A(H5N1) reported in Egypt, 32 have been fatal.