Ten cases of swine flu but, say officials, there is no need for the public to panic, Reem Leila reports Yesterday the Health Ministry announced that two more suspected cases of swine flu had tested positive for the virus. They include an engineer working for an oil company, who returned from a visit to the US on 7 June, and an Egyptian resident of the US who arrived in Egypt on 4 June. Both are under medical supervision and reported to be in a stable condition. Earlier, seven people tested positive for swine flu, all of them residents of an American University in Cairo (AUC) hostel. The hostel was first placed under quarantine on Sunday after two American students tested positive for the virus. By Tuesday five more residents had tested positive, and the quarantine period extended to 15 June. AUC has suspended classes until 14 June. Police wearing masks cordoned off the hostel in Zamalek, isolating 165 people, many of them foreign students. The rest are university teachers, employees and service workers. Two medical teams from the Health Ministry are observing the inhabitants during the seven-day quarantine. The two cases discovered on Sunday include a 23-year-old male American student who had travelled to Egypt from New Jersey on BMI flight 77, and a 23-year-old female student who flew from Florida on Delta Airlines flight 85. Both arrived in Cairo on 28 May and were back in the Zamalek hostel on 4 June. A day later the two students began to experience flu-like symptoms. Both are law students enrolled at Seton Hall and are taking summer courses at AUC. The other five -- four males, students, and a female staff member -- had not exhibited symptoms and were diagnosed after routine tests at the hostel following the first two confirmed infections. The only other confirmed case in Egypt is 12- year-old Mariam Ali, an Egyptian-American who travelled from the US last week and became Egypt and Africa's first case of the H1N1 virus. Ali was discharged from the hospital on 4 June after a full recovery. Health Minister Hatem El-Gabali has confirmed that the two student cases are unrelated and have no links to Ali. "The [first two] students underwent a nasopharyngeal swab test and the results came back positive," El-Gabali said. "They were tested as part of the ministry's follow up on all new arrivals coming from infected countries. A throat swab is the only medical examination needed for swine flu cases." Both patients are in stable condition and expected to be discharged from hospital soon. AUC President David Arnold said in a press conference that the university is taking actions recommended by the Ministry of Health to ensure the health and safety of the AUC community. "Employees, students of all AUC branches, whether those located in Downtown or new Cairo, are having a vacation," stated Arnold. "Random samples are being taken and examined to ensure the safety of everyone. All of the AUC administration and community are prepared to take any additional precautions necessary," The university's administration is working closely with the Ministry of Health to manage the situation and will continue to keep the AUC community informed as new information becomes available. Egyptian authorities have installed eight extra thermal monitors at the country's ports of entry, bringing the number of monitors to 36. The real challenge facing the country is bird flu, says Abdel-Rahman Shahin, official spokesman at the Ministry of Health. "If the H5N1 and H1N1 viruses combine a third strain will result and no one knows how it will affect the population," he says. The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation has stopped vaccinating poultry owning to a shortage of vaccine. Egypt is trying hard to contain the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus, "but with the lack of poultry vaccines the mission is becoming very difficult" warns Shahin. There have been 25 confirmed H5N1 cases so far this year, more than three times the total for 2008 cases. Bird flu has killed at least 27 people in Egypt since it was first reported in February 2006. According to the latest WHO press release, swine flu has now spread to 73 countries. A total of 25,288 people are known to have been infected and 139 deaths have been recorded since the disease was identified in April 2009. The press release confirmed that Egypt's Health Ministry had enhanced surveillance mechanisms in the interest of rapid response in the case of an outbreak. Ahmed Abdel-Latif, WHO representative in Cairo, points out that in the absence of a vaccine for the virus the public should be vigilant and practise general preventive measures for influenza to prevent infection. "People should cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and sneezing, dispose of the tissue immediately after use and wash their hands regularly with soap and water. It is strongly recommended to avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and have fever and cough." Anyone suffering influenza-like symptoms should seek medical advice immediately.
