Dr. Abdel Rahman Shahin, official spokesman of the Ministry of Health, announced the discovery of 5 new cases of the H1N1virus known as swine flu. These new cases bring the total number of cases in Egypt to 55 so far. Shahin clarified in a press release yesterday, that case number 51 is a 19-year-old Egyptian female student and she is linked to case number 46. The symptoms began on June 24, where she was detained in a Cairo hospital on June 25. Once administered, she was given appropriate treatment and is now in a stable condition. Case number 52, is a young Filipino citizen aged 20, who was coming from the Philippines. Shahin added that the case number 53 belonged to a Thai national, 19 years old, and was coming from Thailand. He said that case number 54 was a child with dual Egyptian-American citizenship aged 12 years old and was coming from America with his family, pointing out that he is the brother of cases 43 and 44. Furthermore, case number 55 was a Palestinian man, 47 years old, and was coming from America.
Shahin said that the registration of recovery and a release from hospital for three cases of infected individuals brought the number of recovered cases to 36 cases, whilst the remainder of the cases are in good health. At the same time, 53 suspected cases were examined from the Dakahlia governorates, Cairo, Aswan, South Sinai, Alexandria, Minya, Gharbiya, Kafr El-Sheikh and Damietta. The results were all negative. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health declared that the clampdown by the Ministry is currently in an effort to fight against swine flu, which will include visitors flying in from Egypt, India and Dubai. This declaration is due to the discovery of three Kuwaiti infected nationals from these countries last Tuesday night, raising the total number of cases to 15 so far. Kuwaiti sources said yesterday that the samples taken were mostly from those coming from American, European and Asian countries, adding that the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health would not soften its precautionary measure over the holiday season, but will intensify it.
Furthermore, on a global scale, Thailand announced the death of two individuals from the disease. These cases are the first two deaths since the virus was detected in the country six weeks ago. In Chile the death of a child at age six was confirmed.
