The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar announced Saturday that COVID-19 infection rates among children in Egypt is no more than ten percent of all coronavirus infections in Egypt.
This comes according to the latest study by the ministry, which specified the rate of child infections at 5-10 percent of the total.
During a phone interview with “Kalema Akhera” host Lamis al-Hadidi, Abdel-Ghaffar said that beds have been allocated to isolate children in designated hospitals or in various children’s departments within the university hospitals.
He explained that these special isolation sections are a necessary measure as many of these children suffer from chronic illnesses and are therefore especially vulnerable to infection.
Children without chronic diseases that only have mild symptoms do not need to be isolated, he added.
There are around 10 children only hospitals affiliated to university hospitals, Abdel-Ghaffar said, such as Abu al-Rish Hospital.
All university hospitals also have departments specifically for treating children.
Meanwhile, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar on Saturday said that all announced coronavirus infections are for cases that have only been reported in hospitals.
During a phone-in with Ahmed Moussa’s TV show “Ala Massoulity” (By My Responsibility), he explained that this is the case worldwide as well and that the actual count is likely far greater than 10 times the announced figures.
The minister said that the rate of bed occupancy in university isolation hospitals ranges between 60 percent and 65 percent, with ventilators occupancy between 15 percent and 18 percent.
