Ministry of Health: No Unknown or High-Risk Viruses in Egypt.. Influenza at 66%

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, denied the rumors circulating about the spread of unknown or high-risk viruses in Egypt, confirming that the "Marburg" virus is also not present.

He added during statements via "Al-Hayat" channel that the Marburg virus is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, not through the air, explaining that it comes from a type of bat not found in Egypt.

He continued that the travel movement between the countries affected by this disease, referred to as "infection hotspots," and Egypt is not dense, adding that the surveillance system of the Ministry of Health monitors epidemiology at both local and global levels.

On another note, Abdel Ghaffar confirmed the rise in rates of respiratory virus infections during this period annually, affirming the stability of infection rates during the same period over the past years.

He stated that influenza has the highest infection rates among respiratory viruses at 66% of the total number of cases, followed by rhinovirus at 16%, and then respiratory syncytial virus with an infection rate of 1%.

He clarified that respiratory viruses affect the upper respiratory tract and also the digestive system, causing diarrhea, confirming that they are the same respiratory viruses with the same recurring symptoms every year.

He added that when assessing the severity of symptoms, influenza (A) comes first, followed by respiratory syncytial virus, then influenza (B), and finally COVID-19.