Swine flu kills 56 in Egypt since October

The virus has infected 16,373 people, of whom 281 died, since it was first reported in Egypt in June 2009, said the official, who asked not to be named.

H1N1 flu broke out in 2009 and quickly spread across the world. The World Health Organisation said about 18,450 people died from the virus, including many pregnant women and young people.

Last year Cairo took various initiatives to try to limit the spread of H1N1, including culling all pigs in the country, temporarily closing schools and stopping travellers with fever at airports.

(Reporting by Mohamed Abdellah; Writing by Patrick Werr; editing by David Stamp)