Health minister says no dengue fever deaths reported

The Ministry of Health and Population said on Friday in a new report on dengue fever that the cases are very limited and only detected in the cities of Quseir and Safaga.

In the report, received by the State Information Service, Health Minister Dr Ahmad Emad Eldine said that there were no deaths of the disease.

The ministry immediately upon the detection of the disease retaliated by taking all measures, said the minister.

The total number of cases diagnosed and admitted was 245. Out of those, 210 were completely cured and discharged. There are only 35 cases are remaining in hospitals and currently are receiving treatment, said the press release.

"The incidence of these cases was detected in the cities of Quseir and Safaga of the Red Sea Governorate. There are no cases detected in the areas of Hurghada, Halaib, Shalatin, Marsa Alam or Ras ghareb," it said.

It noted that this fever results from a weak virus called "dengue virus" that is transmitted by a mosquito known as "Aedes aegypti".

The life cycle of this virus in the human body lasts for a maximum of one week, resulting in weak non life threatening symptoms similar to the symptoms of flue (common cold) which might include a slight increase in temperature, headache, muscle aches, joint aches.

The ministry also pointed out that for all the cases suspected of being infected, a more accurate PCR laboratory testing is held in order to confirm or deny having dengue fever, as its symptoms are very similar to other common conditions.

The treatment of this virus is mainly symptomatic including antipyretics such as "paracetamol".

The minister said that his ministry is about to exterminate the presence of the virus and its mosquito vector from Egypt completely within few days.

He stressed that the data issued by the ministry is documented and the number of cases announced is the actual number of cases diagnosed and admitted to the Egyptian hospitals.

The ministry calls upon all concerned parties not to issue any official statement based on non reliable sources and to rely only on the official documents released by the Egyptian government, added the statement.

Source: MENA