The prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases in Egypt has raised concerns among citizens about its severity and rate of spread, especially among young children.
And across social media there have been many parental observations about infecting their children with symptoms who have been diagnosed with the virus, which is active at this time of year, wondering how far children are out of school for fear of increasing infections.
Dr Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, an official spokesman for Egypt’s health ministry, told Al-Hurra that syncytial virus is “one of the viruses that infect the respiratory system, and it is the most prevalent this season among the viruses that affect the respiratory system.” respiratory system.”
And on whether the virus previously existed in Egypt or if it was the first time it appeared, Abdel Ghaffar said that the virus “recurs at this time of year, and this is not the first time it has appeared, like other respiratory viruses , but this year is the top among them.””.
He stressed that “the health situation is normal and there are no particular concerns in light of the instructions provided by the Ministry of Health continuously to prevent infection with this virus and deal with its symptoms when they occur”.
The Ministry of Health provides, through its platforms, a series of instructions to deal with the virus, indicating the need for rest, drinking plenty of warm liquids, staying away from cigarette smoke, good ventilation, as well as healthy eating, and avoiding kissing babies to protect them from being infected with respiratory diseases that spread between the seasons.
The Ministry stressed the need to respect social distancing in schools, maintain hand hygiene and ensure that classrooms are well ventilated.
Children under 3 years
Dr Mohamed Hussein, Pediatric Consultant at Misr Hospital for Health Insurance, said: ‘The Syncytogenes virus is a respiratory virus that infects the respiratory system from top to bottom, i.e. from the side of the mouth and nose, and is called so because its effect occurs after the cells infected by the virus fuse together, and it is a virus known since ancient times and not absolutely new.”
He explained in an interview with the “Al-Hurra” website that “children under 3 are more susceptible to infection with this virus, and children under 5 are infected, but with fewer infections, and can be transmitted to adults too.”
And regarding the infection rates of this virus during this time in Egypt, he said, “Currently, the rate of spreading of the virus is normal and maybe lower than normal at this time of year, but the interest in it and the continued talking about it, both by citizens and by doctors and officials, may be the reason for the spread of these concerns, but at the level of the state of health, there is no reason for these concerns.
He stressed that regarding children in schools, “they will be more susceptible to the spread of infections due to proximity between children and the possibility of faster transmission through sneezing or coughing and continuous interaction between children, therefore the use of children, as well as their teachers, significantly reduces the rates of virus spread with the need for health care for the infected.” until the symptoms disappear, which can last up to 5 days.
Hussein concluded his speech by saying, “Paying attention to personal hygiene and eating healthy and balanced foods that strengthen immunity are necessary to prevent infection with respiratory syncytial virus, or to resist infection with it, in so that complications do not occur which may sometimes require placing the patient on a respirator.”
No intention to interrupt the study
For its part, the Ministry of Education in Egypt ordered education directorates to apply precautionary measures regarding the management of infectious diseases and announced the possibility of taking a unified exam determined by schools for students who are absent from exams with a medical justification acceptable in the one-month exam school.
The Ministry has ordered the directors of educational directorates to apply all precautionary measures to prevent and deal with infectious diseases within educational classes, in coordination with the health directorates in the governorates.
The Ministry has sent school directorates a periodical book which contains a guide to the prevention and management of infectious diseases and the health conditions that must be met at the level of educational facilities, in order to preserve the health of students.
Shady Zalta, a spokesman for Egypt’s education ministry, said in media statements that “there is no intention of interrupting their studies or for the children to stay in their homes and not go to school.”
He explained that “there is constant coordination between the Ministries of Health and Education to continuously monitor the health conditions of students and take the appropriate decisions, and that there are directives from the Ministry to monitor the situation of students in schools, and in the event of infection or infection of any student with fatigue, cold or respiratory syncytial virus, the signing of the examination and isolation, informing his guardian, plus the possibility for any sick student to obtain leave to go to school , and presenting him with proof of a medical excuse when he returns to school following his recovery.
