Theresa42
Well-known member
Maladies by the dozen
12 - 18 April 2007
Rubella and tuberculosis are only the latest diseases to afflict the population
Reem Leila investigates
In recent years, the masses seem to have lost confidence in the government's declarations about disease outbreaks and other health issues. And they have had many opportunities to test their suspicions with the outbreak of bird flu early last year, rubella (German measles) infections in recent weeks, the spread of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and cancer. Conventional wisdom among Egyptians states that if the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) issues a statement about an illness, be cautious and expect the worst.
(...)
A few weeks ago, a health official stated that the bird flu virus is contained, despite continued human infections which reached 34 this week. "Bird flu is under control and vaccination campaigns are trying to cover the entire poultry population in Egypt," stated Abdel-Rahman Shaheen, MOHP official spokesman, and soon Egypt will be free of the deadly H5N1 virus.
There are international fears that the bird flu virus has mutated into several strains, thus leading to a human-to-human infection. "It's going to stay in the country for at least three years until all fowl are vaccinated, which is almost impossible to happen in a short time. It will take some time," according to Hassan El-Bushra, a WHO regional advisor. El-Bushra added that Egypt is considered the biggest site of Avian Flu infections outside Asia.
(...)
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/840/eg3.htm
12 - 18 April 2007
Rubella and tuberculosis are only the latest diseases to afflict the population
Reem Leila investigates
In recent years, the masses seem to have lost confidence in the government's declarations about disease outbreaks and other health issues. And they have had many opportunities to test their suspicions with the outbreak of bird flu early last year, rubella (German measles) infections in recent weeks, the spread of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and cancer. Conventional wisdom among Egyptians states that if the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) issues a statement about an illness, be cautious and expect the worst.
(...)
A few weeks ago, a health official stated that the bird flu virus is contained, despite continued human infections which reached 34 this week. "Bird flu is under control and vaccination campaigns are trying to cover the entire poultry population in Egypt," stated Abdel-Rahman Shaheen, MOHP official spokesman, and soon Egypt will be free of the deadly H5N1 virus.
There are international fears that the bird flu virus has mutated into several strains, thus leading to a human-to-human infection. "It's going to stay in the country for at least three years until all fowl are vaccinated, which is almost impossible to happen in a short time. It will take some time," according to Hassan El-Bushra, a WHO regional advisor. El-Bushra added that Egypt is considered the biggest site of Avian Flu infections outside Asia.
(...)
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/840/eg3.htm