21 December 2011 - The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has notified WHO of a case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

The case is a 29-year-old male from Dakahlia Governorate. He developed symptoms on 8 December 2011 and was admitted to hospital on 15 December 2011, where he received oseltamivir treatment. He was in critical condition and died on 19 December 2011.

The case was confirmed by the Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Centre of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network on 18 December 2011.

Investigations into the source of infection indicated that the case had exposure to backyard poultry.

Of the 156 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 54 have been fatal.