The latest strain of the coronavirus, identified as Iris or EG.5, is notable both for its speed of infection and ability to evade immunity acquired from vaccines or previous infection, the head of the Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus at Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population Hossam Hosny, warned.
During an interview with the al-Settat Mayearafoush Yekdebo” (The Women Do Not How To Lie) show broadcast on cbc channel on Monday, Hosny assured that the coronavirus now can be easily diagnosed and treated, and that its mortality rates has declined significantly.
The new mutation of the coronavirus is weaker in terms of severity, despite being wider in spread, he reassured.
Doctors can distinguish between cold and the coronavirus through the color of mucus and secretions, so if the color of the mucus is yellow or green, this means that it is a bacterial infection more, and if it is transparent or white, then this means that it is a viral infection.
Hosny also warned against misusing antibiotics when infected.
He added that no country has properly determined where the coronavirus came from, be it China or elsewhere.
No cases in Egypt
No infections thus far have been reported inside Egypt of the newest coronavirus mutant, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said in a telephone conversation with journalist Mohamed Ali Khair, on the Al-Mehwar satellite channel earlier in August.
The Ministry of Health is fully aware of all reports received regarding the new coronavirus mutant, Eg5, which has recently spread through the US and infected 3,000 people, he added.
He assured that the ministry is communicating with the World Health Organization to monitor the latest updates of this strain.
