CAIRO: Swine flu cases have been increasing in Egypt, as 136 cases were reported in October and November — 70 of which were reported just this past week, according to Abdel Rahman Shahin, spokesperson for the Ministry of Heath. Despite the increasing rate of infections, Shahin stated that the number of patients is within the seasonal flu rates expected during this time of year. In ministry statement, Shahin did not refer to the H1N1 virus as “swine flu.” Instead, he used the term “emerging flu.” “[The emerging flu] is no longer a threat as long as the person knows its symptoms and receives the proper treatment and right medication for it, as well as taking all the necessary precautions,” said Shahin. These precautionary measures include taking proper care of personal hygiene, such as washing hands, maintaining proper ventilation at the workplace and at home, covering nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and avoiding crowded places. Shahin cited Director General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan's latest statement regarding swine flu: “As we enter the post-pandemic period, this does not mean that the H1N1 virus has gone away. Based on experience with past pandemics, we expect the H1N1 virus to take on the behavior of a seasonal influenza virus and to continue to circulate for some years to come. In the post-pandemic period, localized outbreaks of different magnitude may show significant levels of H1N1 transmission.” Egypt reported last Thursday its first swine flu-related death, a 30-year-old pharmacist from the city of Damanhour in the Beheira governorate. She was admitted to the hospital on Nov. 17 after developing severe flu symptoms which included fatigue, sore throat, coughing and pain in her bones and muscles.
