An Iraqi woman suspected of being infected with the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has died.
Iraqi officials said Thursday further tests are being conducted in Baghdad and Cairo. If confirmed, the death would be the second caused by the virus in Iraq this year.
Meanwhile, German officials are warning pet owners to keep cats inside and dogs on a leash after lab tests confirmed a cat died from the H5N1 virus, the same strain found in a dead swan in the region.
The discoveries come a day after World Bank officials warned that an outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria is far from over.
The World Bank said Wednesday Nigeria has failed to contain the spread of the H5N1 virus among chickens, and offered to fund a bird vaccination program there.
Health officials say since 2003, bird flu has killed more than 90 people worldwide, mostly Asians.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.