CAIRO: Egypt's Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabali, has announced that starting this week the swine flu vaccine will be available at the ministry's vaccination centers in Cairo and Alexandria for groups that are most vulnerable to the H1N1 virus. Pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses and school students have been named a priority. The ministry will buy 2.5 doses of vaccine from Switzerland next month from the surplus supply they have, added El-Gabali. In addition, he also said that corporations and organizations could ask for the ministry to vaccinate their employees at their premises, however, they must pay LE 80 per dose. The Ministry of Health also announced three more deaths from swine flu yesterday [Friday] raising the death toll from the H1N1 virus to 103. The number of swine flu cases reported in Egypt has reached 8,279 and the number of deaths has reached 103, announced official spokesman of the Ministry of Health Abdel Rahman Shahin. The last two cases were announced on Thursday night, the first death is of a 47-year-old woman from the governorate of Qaliubia and the second is a 23-year-old woman from the governorate of Menufiya. On Wednesday night, the ministry had announced five deaths, the first of a 38-year-old woman from Qaliubia; the second a 55-year-old man from Giza; the third a 42-year-old man from Sharqia; the fourth a 36-year-old man from Kafr El-Shiekh and the fifth a 35-year-old man from Beheira. More than 81 percent of the cases have appeared in Cairo, Giza and Alexandria where 39 percent of the deaths also occurred. According to the latest swine flu weekly report, 2,538 cases were reported during the period between Dec.14 and Dec. 20, which include 1,270 cases in schools and 134 in universities. The number of cases that have been treated from the virus are 6,981, more than 95 percent. Some 260 cases are still under treatment at hospitals around the country.
