Egypt announced the first human death by bird flu, which indicates the probability of other death cases in the coming period. This requires awareness and study on all scales, the most important of which are the Egyptian citizens themselves, particularly those in contact with birds. This public awareness should cope with efforts exerted by the concerned bodies in order to get control over the H5N1 fatal disease.

Owing to reports, the dead woman infected with bird flu was used to raise poultry at home ; she even denied this fact during her first days of infection which led to her wrong treatment, then came to confess it after six days of infection,.

On account of medical sources, the H5N1 infection could be contained and eliminated within 48 hours ; the longer the time period it takes , the lesser the hope for recovery.

This death case unveils the graveness of the problem that may grow up as long as bird dovecots still exist in peasants houses and some city squat areas, which requires intensive measures to deal with this issue.

There should be a reconsideration of providing due compensations for citizens who are mostly poor and needy. Some of them depend on these dovecots to get protein; others depend on poultry as a trade to earn their living. This would encourage them to hand over their humble property , which will surely help combating this fatal disease.

By: Ibrahim Naf'e

Al Ahram 21/3/2006