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PM: Nile Cruise Ship Epicenter of Coronavirus in Egypt


Sun 08 Mar 2020 | 12:51 AM
Hassan El-Khawaga

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said on Saturday a Nile cruise ship, which was on its way from Aswan to Luxor, was the one and only source of the coronavirus in Egypt.

Madbouli's remarks came during a press conference on Egypt protective measures against the COVID-19, the number of suspected, negative, and positive cases in the presence of Health Minister Hala Zayed, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El Anany, and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Manar, said a statement released by the Cabinet.

[caption id="attachment_114185" align="aligncenter" width="960"]Madbouli Speaks during Press Conference on Coronavirus Madbouli Speaks during Press Conference on Coronavirus[/caption]

"The Nile cruise ship was the epicenter of the deadly virus in Egypt," Madbouli stated, clarifying that all tourists, who were infected with the virus, were on the same Nile cruise ship.

Those tourists include two French nationals, who visited Egypt from February 5 to 16.

Outside the ship, only three persons returning from abroad tested positive; a Chinese national, a Canadian national, and an Egyptian coming from Serbia.

The Chinese national had been recovered and left the quarantine, while the other two are being treated and their health conditions are stable.

"Egypt was the first country in the world, detecting CONVID-19 cases before the appearance of the symptoms," the premier pointed out, adding that Egypt took its protective measures since January 7, 2020.

Meanwhile, Zayed noted that of the 12 coronavirus cases, who were boarding the cruise ship yesterday, only one passenger tested positive in newly conducted tests.

[caption id="attachment_114186" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Health Minister Hala Zayed and Premier Health Minister Hala Zayed and The Premier[/caption]

"This passenger will undergo necessary treatment in an isolation hospital, while the other 11 will be quarantined," the minister said.

Moreover, up to 33 positive cases were detected today with no symptoms, as they were on the cruise ship, which had 171 on board, only 70 of whom were Egyptians.

"The total number of confirmed cases is 34," Zayed pointed out.

All those who were in contact with the positive and negative cases had been quarantined.

[caption id="attachment_114189" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]The Press Conference The Press Conference[/caption]

The minister noted that the state purchased 250,000 detection kits, which shorten the detection time and generate test results in 30 minutes.

During the conference, Madbouli directed officials from the ministries of health, civil aviation and tourism to travel to Luxor to closely follow up the measures taken in respect of the Nile cruise that was carrying the suspected cases.