Bird Flu Spreads Into Iraq
Posted on February 1, 2006
Bird Flu has moved into Raniya, a town in northern Iraq which is located near the Turkey border. Turkey has seen multiple cases recently with four deaths. The BBC reports that a teenage girl died of bird flu in Iraq and that 54-year-old woman has a serious suspected case.
A 54-year-old woman from the town of Raniya is thought to be the most serious of the suspected cases.12 people total are suspected of having bird flu. The BBC also reported that WHO is sending a team of experts to the region.Iraqi officials say a teenage girl died of the strain two weeks ago.
Shanjin Abdel Qader died in a hospital in the nearby city of Sulaimaniya on 17 January, after an illness lasting 15 days.
Initial test results from a WHO laboratory were negative, but after Iraqi tests showed indications of H5N1 the organisation agreed to a further examination in a UK laboratory.
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