While the onset of winter was expected to bring an increase in incidents of swine flu the increasing number of fatalities is causing public concern, reports Reem Leila Schools and universities have reopened after the Eid Al-Adha vacation was extended to ten days rather than the usual five as a precautionary measure in the hope the longer break would limit the spread of the swine flu virus among schoolchildren and university students. The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring health workers at schools who must regularly examine students and inspect school premises and posters from the Health Ministry explaining preventative measures have found their way back onto school walls. According to Adel Abdel-Ghaffar, official spokesman at the Ministry of Education, absence rates range between 15 and 25 per cent in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria and Helwan governorates. Absenteeism in other governorates is much lower, averaging five per cent. Abdel-Gaffar says that the Education Ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, has re-distributed cleaning tools and detergents among Egypt's schools. "All schools have now received these materials, which were delivered a few days before the end of the Eid Al-Adha vacation. School heads were requested to use these materials in cleaning classrooms, bathrooms, and stairs." Mid-year exams, says Abdel-Ghaffar, will begin as scheduled and continue for the last ten days of January 2010, while the mid-year holiday will start on 6 February and last for two weeks. On 6 December the Ministry of Health announced the deaths of Egypt's latest victims of the virus. Hamida Ahmed Shahin, a 29-year old nurse at Zefta public hospital in Al-Gharbiya governorate, and 54-year old Hayam Mohamed, are Egypt's 30th and 31st victims of the disease. Shahin was pregnant, while Mohamed had been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Their deaths mean that the number of swine flu fatalities jumped from 21 on 2 December to 31 by 6 December, feeding fears that a major pandemic could surface. The Ministry of Health reported eight swine flu fatalities since Tuesday 8 December. The country's 32nd swine flu fatality was a 35-year-old man from Al-Menoufiya governorate. Victim No 33 was 54-year-old Saneyah Mohamed Saad from Alexandria who was suffering from chronic illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure and a respiratory allergy. Egypt's 34th case was the country's first school student, 14-year-old Mohamed Ahmed Arafa from Al-Beheira governorate. The 35th H1N1 fatality was 21-year-old Sabreya Ibrahim Me'bed from Qena governorate who was suffering heart problems, while the 36th case was a 38-year-old diabetic male from Giza governorate. A 35-year-old man from Sohag governorate was death No 37. Today, the ministry announced the 38th and 39th swine flu fatalities. The last two cases are for males, one from Al-Gharbeiya governorate while the other from Assiut. Abdel-Rahman Shahin, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Health, pointed out that since June the ministry had been announcing that swine flu infections were expected to increase in December, January and February -- winter months in which the virus thrives. "As long as infections increase, it's normal to have more fatalities," Shahin said. A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report said Egypt was ranked second among the region's countries in the rate of swine flu infection. Saudi Arabia was first with 9,355 cases including 81 fatalities, Jordan is third and Palestine fourth. The report also said 43 per cent of infections in Egypt were among school and university students. Cairo's 22 per cent infection rate was the highest among the 23 other Egyptian governorates. According to the latest swine flu weekly update issued by the Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC), the number of cases in Egypt has gone past 4,000. These include 1,410 cases in schools and 215 cases in universities around the country. The number of patients who have recovered is 3,661, which is 94.4 per cent of all infected cases. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry announced that the price of the H1N1 drug Tamiflu is currently being set. "This is a preliminary step to sell the virus's only medicine in the country's pharmacies. And pharmacies are to sell the medicine to the public only by a doctor's prescription," Shahin said. Despite the growing number of fatalities the Ministry of Health remains upbeat about the overall situation. Shahin notes that while "the rate of swine flu deaths in Egypt has increased from 0.3 per cent to 0.9 per cent" it still remains below the international average which is 1.3 per cent. The Health Ministry also reported the first swine flu infection among Egypt's 73,000 haj pilgrims. Mustafa Awad Metwalli from Suez tested positive for the virus and was admitted to Al-Ansar Hospital in Medina, Saudi Arabia for treatment. Metwalli is still in Saudi Arabia. "We are waiting to investigate the reasons behind his infection," says Shahin. "Although we do not know yet how Metwalli contracted the virus it seems he may be among the two per cent of the population who are estimated to be resistant to the vaccine More than 35,000 pilgrims have already returned to Egypt. Of the two returning pilgrims suspected of having the virus tests on the first proved negative, while the results for the second are not yet ready. Remaining pilgrims are expected to arrive back over the next ten days. Meanwhile, the Ministry has licensed five out of Egypt's 2600 private labs to administer the PCR test which identifies swine flu infections. Al-Borg, Al-Mokhtabar, Cairo Lab, Alfa Lab and the Mervat El-Ansary Lab, all located in either Giza of Helwan, are expected to be joined in days by First Lab and NSA Lab. Saad El-Maghrabi, Deputy Minister of Health for Private Hospitals, announced that the price of the lab test for the virus has been decreased from LE1,200 to LE450 in private labs while emphasising that the ministry will continue to administer the test for free in public hospitals. He said the ministry will continue to monitor private testing facilities to ensure both the quality of testing and prevent patients being overcharged.
