CAIRO — Fear and panic have gripped many Egyptian families because of the simultaneous spread of four contagious viral diseases in Egyptian territories — mumps, measles, chickenpox and bird flu. As a result, some families in the regions infected with these diseases forbade their children from going to school.
The Ministry of Health was faced with anger at its dealing with the diseases, especially after some patients died. A citizen even filed a complaint against the Minister of Health at the police station.
The Ministry of Health and Population issued a report on Dec. 8 that revealed 1,823 cases of mumps, 1,115 cases of chickenpox and 1,356 cases of measles, from which six people died. These cases were reported between the beginning of September and Dec. 6. From the beginning of January to Dec. 6, 15 cases of bird flu were reported, from which seven people died.
An official report issued by the Central Administration of Preventive Medicine at the General Authority for Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture revealed that bird flu hotspots have increased to 211 in 21 governorates, including nine spots in farms, 153 in houses and 49 in markets from January 2014 to today. Active detection is ongoing in districts where new hotspots of the disease have appeared, especially within tribes.
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