CAIRO: Egypt's Ministry of Health announced four swine flu-related deaths on Sunday, bringing the H1N1 death toll in Egypt to 32, spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahin said. The four cases include a 45-year-old man from Minya who was admitted to Suzanne Mubarak Health Insurance Hospital on Dec. 3 suffering from asthma and severe respiratory problems as well as cardiac problems. The second case is a 54-year-old woman from Giza who was under chemotherapy, and a 29-year-old pregnant nurse from Gharbeya who was hospitalized with severe respiratory problems, the latest being a 35-year-old man from Menufiya. Some 238 new cases of swine flu were reported over the past week, bringing the total number of those infected in Egypt to 3,856, according to latest press statement by the Ministry of Health at press time. Out of the 238 new cases, 61 cases were found in schools around the country on the first day back from Eid Al-Adha vacation. The total number of swine flu cases among students in schools since the beginning of the academic year last October is 1,410 cases which includes one death. In addition there were 21 cases found in Cairo, Ain Shams and Alexandria Universities as well as Helwan and Assiut Universities. The total number of swine flu cases found in universities reached 215 cases. The remaining 155 cases announced were found outside schools and universities. In a related note, a pilgrim returning from Hajj was kept in quarantine at Cairo International Airport for suspicion of carrying the H1N1 virus, according to the press office at the Ministry of Health. So far there had only been one swine flu case among Egyptian pilgrims; a man from Suez who is currently still hospitalized in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
