Ministry of Health and Population Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar.
In response to rumours trending on social media platforms on the spread of a new respiratory virus in several schools, Ministry of Health and Population Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar affirmed that the epidemiological situation of respiratory viruses is “completely stable”.
Abdel-Ghaffar told Al-Ahram Weekly that the ministry monitors on a daily basis the rate of infections with seasonal respiratory diseases such as influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and other common seasonal viruses nationwide. He confirmed that infection and hospital admission rates remain within the annual levels expected for this time of year.
According to Abdel-Ghaffar, “preventive medicine teams and epidemiological surveillance units work around the clock in all governorates to detect any early changes in the epidemiological situation.” He said that there is no unusual spread or new virus that warrants concern, and that the ministry monitors in real time the epidemiological situation of infectious diseases locally and globally, and any new developments are announced with full transparency.
At the same time, Abdel-Ghaffar said there is no link between the viruses that infect the respiratory system and the Marburg virus present in some African countries, stressing that this virus does not exist in Egypt. “The Marburg virus is transmitted through body fluids, not through the air like respiratory viruses, noting that the likelihood of it reaching Egypt is very low according to scientific evidence. This virus is transmitted from a type of bat that does not exist in Egypt, and there is full surveillance of arrivals from affected countries at quarantine points,” he said.
Abdel-Ghaffar said the current period is witnessing a natural spread of respiratory viruses around the world, affirming that the increase recorded in infections this year is similar to the rise seen in previous years. He explained that what is different this year is that the influenza A strain has become dominant, accounting for 66 per cent of total infections, and that the strain is characterised by more severe symptoms compared to other viruses.
“People’s perception that common colds are more severe this year has clear scientific reasons. The interruption of exposure to viruses during the coronavirus pandemic led to a decline in acquired immunity. The precautionary measures during the pandemic helped reduce infections, but also reduced community immunity against respiratory viruses.”
Abdel-Ghaffar added that RSV, which once affected children under the age of two, is now affecting older age groups because of reduced immunity, which explains the increase in cases of bronchitis among children around the age of five.
Former director of Imbaba Fever Hospital Samir Antar said fears increase every year at this time, with the change of weather and the onset of winter, alongside the school and university season, which leads to intense contact among students and results in the spread of common colds, seasonal influenza, and upper respiratory tract infections.
The virus currently circulating in Egypt is not a disease in the alarming sense; it is an ordinary seasonal influenza virus with no specific cause, which spreads rapidly due to close contact,” added Antar.
Antar stressed that “what remains of the coronavirus is merely scattered, non-impactful droplets, and no variant of the coronavirus has been detected in Egypt at the present time. What happens is that some doctors still suspect any respiratory symptoms and diagnose them as a new coronavirus variant, which contributes to rumours spreading”.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 27 November, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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