CAIRO: During a tour of the Information and Decision Support Center’s H1N1 Crisis Center, government officials urged the media not to publish any false information about the virus.
“There have been numerous rumors going around regarding swine flu and schools which are all incorrect . and yet people in our society believe them and act on them, said Mohamed Abdel Rahman Fawzy, head of the IDSC.
“It is very important that we ignore all these rumors and only believe the official statements. people have to trust the government because we are dealing with the issue with transparency, he added. Five H1N1 cases were reported so far since the start of the academic year in schools and universities, Amr Kandil, deputy minister of health for precautionary measures, said.
“Classes in which cases of swine flu have appeared will be suspended for two weeks, he added.
Kandil explains that the virus outbreak among students is expected since 55 percent of the previously reported cases in Egypt were in the 5-22 age bracket.
The H1N1 Crisis Center includes representatives from the different ministries and other governmental bodies in Egypt.
In a meeting Saturday, representatives from the Ministries of Health and Social Solidarity, as well as a representative from the Egyptian Red Crescent addressed the issue.
“The Ministry of Social Solidarity is extremely concerned about the virus, there has been a ministerial decision regarding precautions, said General Abdel Hakam Hammouda from the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
The decision obliges general managers at the different centers, authorities and agencies under the ministry to abide by all the health instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
The ministry also allocated isolation rooms for suspect cases, and will conduct awareness workshops, explained Hammouda.
Magda El-Sherbiny, a Red Crescent official, laid down the plan that was agreed upon with Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, a few days before the academic year started.
“We will train the faculty and student body on how to lead a healthy and hygienic lifestyle, she explained.
However, the Red Crescent’s plan only includes 300 schools due to the shortage in trainers; therefore they will be meeting with the different Red Crescent unit heads around Egypt so they could implement the project in their respective areas.
So far, 1,028 cases of swine flu have appeared in Egypt, including three deaths.
Last Thursday, a 23-year-old housewife from Giza died of H1N1. Kandil noted that she was a diabetic and was hospitalized when her diabetes level had already reached 600, which is fatal.
There are currently 41 cases undergoing treatment at hospitals.
