Two more Egyptian children stricken with bird flu

wo more children from impoverished southern Egypt have been infected with the deadly avian flu virus, raising to 31 the number of cases reported, the health ministry said on Saturday.

Ibrahim Mahmud Helmi, four, from Qena province and Mahmud Mohammed Shalabi from Sohag, both poor provinces in the Nile valley, were diagnosed with the flu and transferred to Cairo for treatment with the Tamiflu drug.

Their cases come hard on the heels of reports of two other children stricken on Tuesday, making for at least half a dozen infections of children in the south by the H5N1 virus in March.

Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus due to their role in taking care of domestic fowl. Egypt is the hardest hit by the virus outside Asia.

The government says it is conducting a vigorous campaign to combat the spread of the virus through vaccinations and raising awareness, but cases continue to appear. So far 13 people have succumbed to the virus.