Iraqi authorities believe a woman died of H5N1 infection. Samples have been sent to Cairo and Baghdad for confirmation. The woman lived near Nassiriya, south of Iraq. Other suspected human bird flu cases exist in Shula (Baghdad) – lab results are yet to come.
To people died of bird flu infection in Iraq last month, a girl and her uncle (who had been caring for her while she was ill) – they were from Sulaimaniya, near the Turkish border.
Authorities are desperately trying to stem the spread of the H5N1 virus in Iraq, where there is a good chance of the illness establishing itself.
Medical and veterinary services in Iraq are patchy.
If all samples test positive, this means bird flu has spread from the north to the south of the country.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today