A doctor in Mansour fell victim to respiratory infection at Mansoura University hospital, marking the fourth death among doctors from the same infection in less than one month.
The doctor, called Osama Rashed, was treated for three weeks in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Officials at the doctors syndicate warned against the spread of acute pneumonia, calling on the Health Ministry not to be reluctant toward taking precautionary measures to prevent the disease turn to epidemic.
Around six doctors were reportedly infected in January with the same disease, causing four to die. Two of them were from Qalyoubeya, two were from Daqahliya.
Taher Mokhtar, former member of the syndicate board in Alexandria, said Rashed was infected while performing his duty. In a statement on Sunday, he said the ministry had not yet declared reason of the doctors’ death. He added that the four doctors were below 40 years old. “How many citizens have died of this infection at governmental hospitals so far, while the ministry still has not recognized the situation?” he wondered.
The syndicate said that ministry officials’ statement, which underestimate dangers of the disease spread, is “major reluctance that needs to be penalized.’ The syndicate called on the ministry to “deal seriously and transparently with the disease and take all cautionary measures of epidemics.”
The syndicate called on all doctors and workers of hospitals to stick to instructions of combating the infection to protect themselves like wearing masks while dealing with patients, washing hands continuously, wearing coat during work and taking it off after work.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
