Some medical experts have warned that a new strain of the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as 'swine flu,' could reach Egypt after appearing in a number of other countries.
According to immunology professor Dr. Abdel Hadi Mosbah, the virus mutated in Singapore and has reappeared in New Zealand and Australia. Egypt, he said, would require a new vaccine if the virus began appearing in other countries.
Mosbah added that the new variant was spreading fast and was "more deadly" than the previous one.
Tropical medicine professor Dr. Reda al-Wakeel advised people to take the usual precautions, such as avoiding crowds, staying away from infected persons, exercising, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
Some observers, however, greeted the warnings with skepticism. They point out that last year's strain of swine flu–despite apocalyptic forecasts by the World Health Organization–turned out to be no more fatal than seasonal influenza.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
