07:19 PM
Friday 07 February 2020
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Books- Ahmad Juma:
Dr. Dalia Samhouri, Director of the Emergency Preparedness Program and International Health Regulations at the WHO Regional Office, said that there is full-time cooperation between the Egyptian authorities and WHO regarding the measures taken to prevent the infiltration of the “Corona emerging” virus into the country, explaining that Egypt has been supplied Lab tests (reagents) to confirm suspected cases or not.
Samhouri sent a message to the Egyptians not to fear “too much” from infection with the Coronavirus, especially since not a single case has been registered so far inside the country, adding to “Masrawy”, that the organization is still working on developing a drug to treat the cases of coronas emerging around The world, but takes some time .. And to the text of the dialogue:
What is your assessment of the measures taken by Egypt to combat the Corona virus?
The Egyptian authorities take the necessary measures to prevent the infiltration of the virus, and if there are suspected cases they are quickly discovered and dealt with scientifically and technically, as explained in the evidence developed by the World Health Organization.
I want to confirm that the Egyptian authorities have increased their preparedness to prevent the entry of the virus, and put plans, once the virus is discovered, to deal early and track contacts, and how to isolate or quarantine the infected.
What is the extent of cooperation between the World Health Organization and the Egyptian authorities?
There is constant communication between the organization and the local authorities. Let’s say that 4 countries in the region, including Egypt, were able to obtain a laboratory examination to detect a new Corona virus quickly, after these countries requested to provide them with these reagents, and this increases the capabilities set by the Egyptian authorities.
How do these laboratory tests (reagents) work?
They are tools that we use in the central laboratories of public health, to confirm suspected cases or not, and this increases the capabilities of countries and their precautionary measures, and these reagents are limited to the central laboratories only; the amount is few and should be used rationally.
Are the measures taken by Egypt sufficient?
We reiterate that no suspicious case has been registered to date in Egypt, and if a suspicious case exists according to the definition of the case distributed by the World Health Organization, the health authorities will use the reagents to confirm if there is an infection of the new corona or not.
There are known precautionary measures for crossing points in ports and airports, and the World Health Organization has said that countries are free to tighten these measures according to the resources available to them.
Looking at Egypt, it places survey points on entry, and includes temperature measurement and a questionnaire that collects data on passengers and where it was sitting inside the plane? Was he in contact with suspects or not? The arrival of the airport is supposed to evaluate the passengers in theory, if a suspect is found, it is isolated and a sample is taken and analyzed through laboratory tests, and if it does not fall under the suspected cases, the test is not performed because this is a waste of the few resources from laboratory tests.
If, in your opinion, Egypt is taking these measures … why are the Egyptians afraid?
I believe that the vast majority of people are afraid because the virus is new and there is a lot of information unknown about it, but for reassurance, up to this point 80% of the cases that have been registered have mild symptoms, do not exceed the normal symptoms of cold or have no symptoms, and 18% of infected They have severe symptoms, and the death rate is only 2% of the number of recorded cases.
Who are the most threatening categories of unknown virus infection?
We in the organization are analyzing infection data, but in general people who suffer from chronic diseases, or immune crises, the way the body deals with the virus is less than a healthy person, and risk factors say that this segment is most vulnerable to infection.
How do you evaluate the quarantine procedures for the Egyptians returning from Wuhan?
This is the decision of the country to bring in its passengers from China, and to ensure that all necessary measures are put in place even before their boarding of the plane, and there is communication between the government and the organization to ensure that the necessary measures are put in place to deal with these arrivals.
Article No. 30 of the International Health Regulations says that if the person traveling suffers from certain symptoms that put the rest at risk, it is not advisable to board the plane, and China itself puts scanning procedures upon departure and measures the temperature of the passengers, and asks travelers several questions regarding their handling and the duration of their contact For people suspected of having the virus, and if any symptoms are discovered, the person is not allowed to travel.
What are the latest details that you have come up with about the new Corona virus?
Corona is a viral family with different patterns, and up to this point the newly created Corona is the seventh pattern that has been discovered from the family, and this means that there are patterns that have not been discovered yet. The source of the infection is unknown and the probability is likely to be an animal source but this has not yet been confirmed, and ongoing research is confirming the source.
People say it is dangerous because it is new, and the World Health Organization, according to the advice of the Emergency Committee, declared that the virus is a health emergency of international concern to take precautionary and preventive measures to prevent its spread in other countries. The decision of the organization means that it is an exceptional event and we need cooperation between countries to deal with this virus.
Also, the vast majority of cases are registered in China, and the rest of the other countries have reported few cases.
What precautions are taken in the Hajj and Umrah season with the spread of the virus?
Saudi Arabia establishes preventive measures every year related to medicines and vaccinations, and coordination with the World Health Organization in this regard, and the sharing of this information with other countries. Sometimes these instructions have to do with yellow fever, influenza and measles, and therefore the advice that Saudi Arabia puts in mind the new virus, and put in place the necessary measures to protect pilgrims in light of the human communities there.
We also confirm that the virus does not exist in Saudi Arabia (so far), but there are people who come from countries where the virus is present, and therefore the guidelines are important for Saudi Arabia to educate people, and countries that send their citizens for Hajj and Umrah trips have a responsibility to educate them.
What measures must be taken at the individual or family level to protect themselves?
Follow the established procedures at the time of the common cold, by moving away from the person in front of you for a distance of not less than a meter, and that sneezing be inside a tissue, and not spreading the spray so that viral infections do not spread.
It is known so far that the virus is transmitted through the respiratory system, and there may be other ways to spread the virus, but there are procedures that are done to know how it is transmitted from person to person, and how to contain it.
Once again, we confirm that the virus is not present in Egypt and we should not be afraid of too much. If you have regular cold symptoms, avoid spreading it to your surroundings. The basis is to raise the level of alertness of countries, and ordinary people should follow measures to prevent any virus, not just corona.
Have you found a drug to treat people with coronary newborn?
The medicine or vaccine does not exist yet, and its development takes some time, but we should not forget the scientific development in the production of medicines and supplies to deal with epidemics during the past years, given the other types of corona. There is an evolution we can build on, but this does not mean that there is a vaccine today or tomorrow, but rather it takes more time.
In order for any drug to be produced, it must pass through several stages, including clinical trials, to ensure its safety, and reassurance of its effectiveness.
Some have linked Corona’s outbreak to a “biological warfare” against China … How do you see that?
Time for epidemics to spread. I hope you be careful and scrutinize the sources we get from as information, and the media should not publish any special rumors at this time. Logically and scientifically I do not find these words any basis for validity, it is in the end a “virus that has spread” and from time to time new viruses emerge, and the difference is that the world is progressing in terms of preparedness and readiness for what may be created. We should have the ability to deal with the event and ensure that the rumors are not published.
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