In Pics: Health Min. evacuates 617 people from Matruh quarantine

CAIRO - 17 February 2020: Health Minister Hala Zayed confirmed on Monday that the Egyptians who returned from Wuhan, China are in good health and do not suffer from any diseases.

The minister also confirmed that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi was following the Egyptians' condition until the end. she explained in a statement to the press on Monday that the Ministry of Health will honor the doctors who participated in the quarantine camp for 14 days.




The minister of health noted that the number of Egyptians in the camp is 617 people, including doctors, nurses, administrators and others. The ministry indicated that electronic health files have been created to include all the medical examinations for camp residents to follow up on their health.

On Feb. 16, Zayed said the only coronavirus case recorded in Egypt has shown no symptoms, and all those who dealt with him tested negative for the deadly virus but will be monitored for 15 days.




"The building where the case was found was evacuated, sterilized and became usable," Zayed said in an interview with "Kol Youm" program on ON E TV.

"The ministry started applying precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus since January 7," Zayed said, adding that the ministry communicated with the WHO and managed in 24 hours to prepare a hospital in Matrouh that is able to receive 800 persons for quarantine.




On Feb. 4, Zayed said in a phone call on Sada al-Balad channel that the cost of the medical equipment necessary to receive Egyptians in Marsa Matrouh governorate from the Chinese city of Wuhan sums up to $65 million.

The minister added that those Egyptians will be quarantined for 14 days to make sure that they don't carry the coronavirus. She also said that the hospital has 59 ICU beds, and 59 artificial respiration units.




Zayed confirmed that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi ordered the provision of the highest medical care for the returning Egyptians without regard to cost.

"The plane returned on Monday at 1 p.m. carrying more than 300 Egyptians; the quarantine rooms are fully equipped," Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Manar told Extra News channel on Sunday, Feb.2.




The plane crew was trained to deal with the passengers and was given appropriate clothes for the task. "Six doctors accompanied them on board during the trip," he added.

Manar pointed out that quarantine doctors were dispatched to all airports to deal with passengers who had passed through countries that reported cases of infection with coronavirus.




In January, Ambassador Liao Liqiang said that no cases were reported inthe Chinese community in Egypt, and that the Chinese tourists will be leaving Egypt in five days. He added that no cases were detected amongst the Egyptian students in China.

Spokesperson of the Health Ministry Khaled Mugahed also said no coronavirus patients have been recorded in Egypt.

The Ministry of Health launched campaigns in seven governorates in Egypt to check Chinese restaurants and to activate means of health control in conjunction with the panic that is sweeping the world from the coronavirus.