Spaniard dies from human mad cow disease

By Al Goodman
Madrid Bureau Chief

MADRID, Spain (CNN) – A Spaniard has died from the human form of mad cow disease, the fifth such death in Spain since 2005, the Ministry of Health said in a statement late Friday.

The victim died in January in the northern city of Santander, according to the statement, which did not provide further details.

The victim was a woman who was hospitalized last autumn, Juan Jose Badiola, director of Spain's national research center for mad cow disease, told CNN.

The ministry reiterated that there is no danger from eating meat in Spain.