Reasonable Rascal
11-04-09, 21:44
INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (82): EGYPT, QUARANTINE ALERT
************************************************** **********
A ProMED-mail post
In this post:
[1] Quarantine alert
[2] Pandemic H1N1 2009 cases
*******
[1] Quarantine alert
Date: Sun 1 Nov 2009
Source: The Daily Mail online [abbreviated, edited]
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1224450/British-children-holiday-Egypt-held-filthy-hospital-days-swine-flu-fears.html>
40 British children -- some as young as 4 -- were marched off by armed airport guards as they landed for half-term holidays in Egypt because they were thought to have swine flu [pandemic [H1N1] 2009 virus infection]. Horrified parents watched as officials used Draconian legislation to hold anyone with a temperature of more than 38 C. Some children were kept apart from their parents for 5 days in a squalid makeshift hospital even though they had no symptoms of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
2 parents said they were terrified when their 8-year-old daughter was grabbed after the family was scanned by hidden thermal imaging cameras in the terminal at Sharm el Sheikh International. They were forced to spend 5 days of their GBP 1650 holiday in a "hellhole" hospital, sharing a urine-stained bed in a mosquito-filled room with about 30 other families. The family, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, have complained to their local MP (Member of Parliament) and are now seeking a refund from their holiday firm, who they say should have warned them about the situation.
A 4-year-old child from Chesterfield Derbyshire was also quarantined with wine flu symptoms after arriving at the airport with his family for a week-long holiday. Overnight tests were carried out, and he was held for another 4 days after swine flu tests were positive. His mother was quite distraught about the situation, as she did believe that he had swine flu, but there was nothing wrong with him. The child's temperature was back to normal the next morning, but the parents were told they would be arrested if they took the boy out of
the hospital.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "There is little we can do as these measures have been put in place by the Egyptian authorities. If any traveller's temperature is above normal, they will be quarantined for up to 5 days. The Egyptian embassy in London said matters were under control. The travel agency said: "We have no control over these procedures."
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
******
[2] Pandemic H1N1 2009 cases
Date: Fri 30 Oct 2009
Source: SINA, Xinhua News Agency report [edited]
<http://english.sina.com/life/2009/1030/281646.html>
Egypt has reported the 4th death from influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection, according to the Al-Ahram newspaper on Friday [30 Oct 2009]. A 36-year-old woman from Ismailia Governorate died of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection late on Thursday [29 Oct 2009]. The newspaper was quoting a Health Ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahine.
Up until now, the Ministry has reported more than 1,000 cases of the novel pandemic influenza virus in this most populous Arab country. Egypt reported its 1st case of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection on 2 Jun 2009, a 12-year-old Egyptian-American girl coming from the United States via the Netherlands.
As it was hit hard by the fatal bird flu [avian H5N1 influenza virus infection] in 2006, Egypt decided in late April [2009] to cull all pigs in the country [as a preventative measure] to stem the highly infectious pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR
[The Ismailia Governorate (Al Isma'iliyyah) is located in northeastern Egypt and can be located on the map at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/egypt.pdf>. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Egypt is available at <http://healthmap.org/r/00Yu>. - Mod JFW]
[The 1st report is posted as a public service notice in order to alert travelers to Egypt that thermal imaging equipment has been installed at Sharm el Sheikh International airport and that quarantine measures are being enforced. It is unclear at this time how long this screening procedure will be maintained. It is generally regarded that thermal imaging is a relatively ineffective measure for controlling entry of influenza virus-infected individuals, and most countries have abandoned this practice.
The 2nd report indicates that pandemic (H1N1) virus infection is already prevalent in the north of Egypt and that the attempt to control the spread of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection by the culling of the domestic pig population has been ineffective. - Mod.CP]
************************************************** **********
A ProMED-mail post
In this post:
[1] Quarantine alert
[2] Pandemic H1N1 2009 cases
*******
[1] Quarantine alert
Date: Sun 1 Nov 2009
Source: The Daily Mail online [abbreviated, edited]
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1224450/British-children-holiday-Egypt-held-filthy-hospital-days-swine-flu-fears.html>
40 British children -- some as young as 4 -- were marched off by armed airport guards as they landed for half-term holidays in Egypt because they were thought to have swine flu [pandemic [H1N1] 2009 virus infection]. Horrified parents watched as officials used Draconian legislation to hold anyone with a temperature of more than 38 C. Some children were kept apart from their parents for 5 days in a squalid makeshift hospital even though they had no symptoms of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
2 parents said they were terrified when their 8-year-old daughter was grabbed after the family was scanned by hidden thermal imaging cameras in the terminal at Sharm el Sheikh International. They were forced to spend 5 days of their GBP 1650 holiday in a "hellhole" hospital, sharing a urine-stained bed in a mosquito-filled room with about 30 other families. The family, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, have complained to their local MP (Member of Parliament) and are now seeking a refund from their holiday firm, who they say should have warned them about the situation.
A 4-year-old child from Chesterfield Derbyshire was also quarantined with wine flu symptoms after arriving at the airport with his family for a week-long holiday. Overnight tests were carried out, and he was held for another 4 days after swine flu tests were positive. His mother was quite distraught about the situation, as she did believe that he had swine flu, but there was nothing wrong with him. The child's temperature was back to normal the next morning, but the parents were told they would be arrested if they took the boy out of
the hospital.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "There is little we can do as these measures have been put in place by the Egyptian authorities. If any traveller's temperature is above normal, they will be quarantined for up to 5 days. The Egyptian embassy in London said matters were under control. The travel agency said: "We have no control over these procedures."
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
******
[2] Pandemic H1N1 2009 cases
Date: Fri 30 Oct 2009
Source: SINA, Xinhua News Agency report [edited]
<http://english.sina.com/life/2009/1030/281646.html>
Egypt has reported the 4th death from influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection, according to the Al-Ahram newspaper on Friday [30 Oct 2009]. A 36-year-old woman from Ismailia Governorate died of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection late on Thursday [29 Oct 2009]. The newspaper was quoting a Health Ministry spokesman Abdel Rahman Shahine.
Up until now, the Ministry has reported more than 1,000 cases of the novel pandemic influenza virus in this most populous Arab country. Egypt reported its 1st case of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection on 2 Jun 2009, a 12-year-old Egyptian-American girl coming from the United States via the Netherlands.
As it was hit hard by the fatal bird flu [avian H5N1 influenza virus infection] in 2006, Egypt decided in late April [2009] to cull all pigs in the country [as a preventative measure] to stem the highly infectious pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-EAFR
[The Ismailia Governorate (Al Isma'iliyyah) is located in northeastern Egypt and can be located on the map at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/egypt.pdf>. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Egypt is available at <http://healthmap.org/r/00Yu>. - Mod JFW]
[The 1st report is posted as a public service notice in order to alert travelers to Egypt that thermal imaging equipment has been installed at Sharm el Sheikh International airport and that quarantine measures are being enforced. It is unclear at this time how long this screening procedure will be maintained. It is generally regarded that thermal imaging is a relatively ineffective measure for controlling entry of influenza virus-infected individuals, and most countries have abandoned this practice.
The 2nd report indicates that pandemic (H1N1) virus infection is already prevalent in the north of Egypt and that the attempt to control the spread of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection by the culling of the domestic pig population has been ineffective. - Mod.CP]