During the week of 12-18 December, 218 cases of the H1N1 virus (commonly known as swine flu) were reported in Egypt, Ministry of Health officials said on Sunday.
Since October, thirty Egyptians have died from the virus.
Abdel Rahman Shaheen, the health ministry official spokesperson, said laboratory results show that this rate of infection is normal.
The total number of registered cases since October is 533, compared to 10,599 cases during the same period last year, according to Shaheen. Between October and December 2009, 134 deaths were reported.
If infected by H1N1, Shaheen advised, citizens should seek medical treatment–especially the elderly, children, pregnant women and those suffering chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart, liver and kidney diseases.
The drug Tamiflu, prescribed for treating the virus, will be provided at health ministry hospitals for free, according to Shaheen, who added that following precautionary procedures as well as general and personal sanitation are the best way to keep the virus at bay.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
