CAIRO: A German tourist suspected of being infected with the deadly E.coli bacteria, has tested negative, according to Mohamed Geneidy, head of the central administration for preventative medicine at the Ministry of Health.
Geneidy explained that the tourist is infected with a different bacteria the symptoms of which include stomach ache and fever. He added that he was flown to Germany, and that his condition was stable.
The German tourist who was on vacation in Marsa Alam was first sent to the Hurghada General Hospital after suffering E.coli-like symptoms.
Egypt’s Ministry of Health has stepped-up testing of food, especially fruits and vegetables imported from Europe. It has also set up emergency plans for medical facilities nationwide in case the bacteria is detected. The procedures include possible health quarantines.
The World Health Organization has warned last week that Europe was seeing the first outbreak of a lethal bacteria, as its death toll in Germany claimed no less than 24 lives and infected thousands. The first suspected cases have been reported in the US, according to AFP.
The WHO advisory came as German and Chinese researchers said they cracked the genetic code of the E. coli strain, which they said in a preliminary analysis was resistant to antibiotics and extremely virulent.
