A 40-Year-Old Man in Kurdistan Becomes the Second H5N1 Victim in Iraq
Mr. Hamma Sur Abdullah has died with flu-like symptoms. Test results from Cairo indicate that the primary culprit is the H5N1 virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than seven other suspected cases within the Kurdish community.
Meanwhile, two expert teams from WHO are currently in Kurdistan assessing the local healthcare and veterinary capabilities to respond to the outbreak. A large shipment of masks, gloves, and protective suits is en route from the United States to Iraq. WHO has also dispatched thousands of doses of Tamiflu following reports that Iraq is experiencing severe shortages.
An Indian sailor who died at the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda is being considered a suspected case of avian influenza, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of Health. If the primary cause is confirmed to be H5N1, this would be the first patient in the European Union.
My Linh (according to AFP)
