Aswan, an Upper Egypt governorate, recently faced a surge in intestinal infections, leading to widespread concerns about a potential cholera outbreak.
But the concerns were put to rest by the Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar during a press conference on 23 September at Al-Sadaka Hospital in Aswan.
According to the minister the recent cases in Aswan were not related to cholera but to gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines.
Abdel-Ghaffar noted that the cause of the gastroenteritis was E coli which spread due to the contamination of drinking water by sewage.
Abdel-Ghaffar said during the press conference that most patients suffering from diarrhea-like symptoms were mainly from Daraw and Abul-Rish villages in Aswan. A few hundred exhibiting such symptoms were admitted to local hospitals.
“Since 16 September Aswan hospitals received 480 cases of gastroenteritis, most of which were mild, except for 168 cases that required hospitalisation due to delayed medical attention. Of those, 49 patients were discharged while 78 are recovering,” Abdel-Ghaffar said. An additional 36 cases involving individuals with chronic illnesses remain in intensive care, he added.
He said an average of 18 to 19 patients had visited hospitals in Aswan daily which he added was a relatively low figure given the population size.
Abdel-Ghaffar stated that there had been five deaths in Aswan whose connection to gastroenteritis has not been confirmed. He said one patient who died underwent medical tests for all types of microbes which came back negative. Additionally, two cases were from outside the affected area while some deaths involved individuals with pre-existing chronic conditions.
During the press conference, Minister of Housing and Urban Communities Sherif Al-Sherbini stated that there are 108 water stations serving Aswan governorate. Field task forces have been formed to monitor the situation in Aswan, and inspections were conducted on internal water systems in homes installed by the residents themselves. Some non-compliant issues were identified, but the task forces worked to secure the connections, whether for drinking water or sewage, Al-Sherbini said.
He also noted that 92 per cent of the villages in Aswan are connected to the national sewage system. Random samples of drinking water are constantly analysed throughout the country to ensure its safety, he stressed.
Hamed Mekki, head of the Aswan Doctors Syndicate, said a state of emergency had been issued to all medical teams in Aswan throughout the last few days to manage the cases of unexplained gastroenteritis. Mekki noted that the situation “has improved with the stabilisation of patients and that no new cases had been admitted to hospitals”.
Aswan Governor Ismail Kamal also addressed the concerns. In an interview with local media, Kamal shot down rumours of cholera spreading in the city. “There have been no confirmed cholera cases in Aswan and the public’s fear has been unjustified as the situation is under control,” said Kamal, adding that efforts were underway to upgrade the sewage system as part of the country’s Decent Life initiative, improving water safety long-term.
Kamal denied the rumours, emphasising that the situation had been blown out of proportion by false claims.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 26 September, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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