The Egyptian health ministry has reported that a fifth person has died of bird flu.

The 27-year-old woman, from Minufiya in northern Egypt, was infected with the deadly H5N1 virus by her domestic poultry flock.

She is the 13th person in Egypt to have been infected. The country's first human case was reported in mid-March.

In the Middle East, the disease is also known to be present in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

Egypt is a major route for migratory birds and has now joined Turkey as the worst-hit countries outside Asia.

Bird flu is also present in flocks in an number of African countries.

It was reported first in Nigeria in February this year. Since then, the list has been joined by Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. H5N1 is also suspected in Sudan.

PHOTO CAPTION

An Egyptian man stands next to the chickens at Bab Omar Basha market in downtown Alexandria in February 2006. (AFP)

BBC