CAIRO/Beirut: Five new cases of foreigners infected with swine flu were discovered at a Cairo university dormitory yesterday, Egypt’s health ministry said, bringing the total number of cases there to seven.
Lebanon also discovered five new cases of swine flu but were under control, the health ministry said, bringing the total number of cases there to eight.
“The cases were isolated and treated and preventive measures were taken for all those they came into contact with, none of whom are showing any symptoms,” the ministry said in a statement.
The five arrived in Lebanon last month from the United States via Turkey and from Australia via the United Arab Emirates, according to the health ministry.
The first three cases of the A(H1N1) virus, a Lebanese returning from Spain and two visiting Canadians, were diagnosed late in May.
Swine flu has now spread to 73 countries with over 25,200 people known to have been infected and 139 to have died since the disease was uncovered in April, the WHO said on Monday.
The American University of Cairo (AUC) residence in the upscale neighbourhood of Zamalek was quarantined on Monday after two American students were found to be infected with the A(H1N1) virus.
The dormitory’s 110 students from 10 nationalities, as well as 124 workers and lecturers who use the building, were tested following the outbreak and the university announced it would suspend classes until Sunday June 14.
The new cases are Americans - a woman and four men aged 20-26 - who had been in contact with the original two infections, Nasser Al Sayyed, assistant minister for preventative medicine, told journalists.
“The dormitory will remain under quarantine for a week until no more cases are detected. We will provide all facilities they need including food and communication around the clock,” Sayyed said. A ministry official has taken up residence in the dorm to monitor possible infections around the clock. The first two AUC cases were a woman who arrived from New Jersey via New York and London, and a man from Florida who came via New York.
