Coronavirus response chief assures new variant not in Egypt yet
In a phone interview with Al-Nahar TV, Hosni explained that this variant has been classified by the World Health Organization as concerning, due to its rapid spread and ability to overcome resistance acquired through vaccinations or previous infection.
Fortunately, it is not particularly fatal, he added.
'All surveillance methods have confirmed that the virus has not entered Egypt,' he said, explaining that the symptoms currently prevalent among some patients in Egypt are the result of other viral infections such as influenza, and not the Coronavirus.
Hosni said that conventional medications, not including antibiotics, are capable of dealing with the effects of infection with the new variant.
Symptoms in patients may be severe but can be managed medically, he said.
He also noted that some patients experience symptoms affecting their voice, a consequence of damage to the vocal cords as part of the respiratory system.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Egypt Independent
4 days ago
- Egypt Independent
Coronavirus response chief assures new variant not in Egypt yet
The Head of the Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus at Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population Hossam Hosni said on Monday that the new variant 'NB.1.8.1,' also known as 'Nimbus,' has not yet been detected in Egypt, RT reported. In a phone interview with Al-Nahar TV, Hosni explained that this variant has been classified by the World Health Organization as concerning, due to its rapid spread and ability to overcome resistance acquired through vaccinations or previous infection. Fortunately, it is not particularly fatal, he added. 'All surveillance methods have confirmed that the virus has not entered Egypt,' he said, explaining that the symptoms currently prevalent among some patients in Egypt are the result of other viral infections such as influenza, and not the Coronavirus. Hosni said that conventional medications, not including antibiotics, are capable of dealing with the effects of infection with the new variant. Symptoms in patients may be severe but can be managed medically, he said. He also noted that some patients experience symptoms affecting their voice, a consequence of damage to the vocal cords as part of the respiratory system.
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
New COVID variant not detected in Egypt: Health official - Health
The new coronavirus variant NB.1.8.1, also known as Nimbus and currently under monitoring by the World Health Organization (WHO), has not been detected in Egypt, according to a senior health official. 'All surveillance methods have confirmed that the virus has not entered Egypt,' said Hossam Hosni, head of the Health Ministry's Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus, in a televised interview on Al-Nahar TV Monday evening. Hosni described the variant as highly contagious due to its ability to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccinations. 'This variant has been able to develop itself and challenge the immunity acquired through previous infections or vaccinations,' he said. While the symptoms resemble those of a severe cold—fever, body aches, weakness, sore throat, red eyes, and some gastrointestinal effects—Hosni stressed that cases linked to the variant are generally not fatal. He noted that treatment continues to rely on standard medications. Antibiotics and antivirals are typically reserved for high-risk groups, including the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and patients with chronic illnesses. The variant has been linked to a summer resurgence of COVID-19 cases in several countries, including China and the United States. In May, the WHO designated NB.1.8.1 as a 'variant under monitoring' and assessed its additional public health risk as low. COVID-19 caused significant disruption in Egypt in 2020 and 2021 before subsiding in 2022. The WHO ended its pandemic emergency designation in May 2023, shifting global focus toward managing COVID-19 alongside other respiratory viruses. Egypt has recorded various coronavirus mutations in recent years, though few led to critical illness, according to health officials. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
No evidence 4 siblings died of Meningitis in Minya: Health Ministry - Health
The Ministry of Health and Population affirmed in its statement on Sunday that claims about the simultaneous death of four siblings in Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt due to Meningitis disease are unfounded and scientifically unverified. On Saturday evening, several social media reports alleged that four children from the same family died of meningitis in Minya Governorate. According to those reports, the children arrived at a hospital showing symptoms including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, irritability, vomiting, and sensitivity. They died shortly after. Fears of a meningitis outbreak among children quickly spread on social media. The ministry clarified in its statement that meningitis is a disease caused by inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (the meninges). It can be caused by microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites), or by non-microbial causes such as tumors, medications, surgeries, or accidents. In response to these claims, the ministry stated that there is no medical evidence supporting the occurrence of simultaneous deaths in infectious diseases. It emphasised that non-infectious causes, such as food or chemical poisoning, must be excluded before confirming the cause of death. The ministry explained that in cases of household outbreaks, deaths typically occur within a few days, not simultaneously. It added that the body's response to infection varies depending on age, immunity, and viral load, making the simultaneous death of four siblings medically illogical. In this context, the ministry also noted that Egypt has successfully controlled the contagious bacterial type of meningitis since 1989, due to effective surveillance and preventive vaccination, with the incidence rate dropping to 0.02 cases per 100,000 people. It confirmed that no epidemic cases of bacterial types A and C have been recorded among school students since 2016 due to the strategic use of vaccinations. According to its statement, the ministry confirmed that it annually provides 6.5 million doses of the bivalent A and C vaccine for first-year students across all educational stages. It also offers 600,000 doses annually of the quadrivalent vaccine for travellers to high-risk countries or for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Additionally, the Haemophilus influenzae vaccine has been included in the national immunisation schedule at 2, 4, and 6 months of age since February 2014, alongside the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for the prevention of tuberculous meningitis. The ministry said that its health surveillance system works on two levels. The first is daily monitoring from all hospitals, where cases are quickly diagnosed and treated, results are recorded electronically, and preventive medicine like Rifampicin is given to close contacts for 10 days. The second involves testing spinal fluid samples in 12 selected fever hospitals. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
