Hossam Hosny, Professor of Chest Diseases at Kasr El Ainy Faculty of Medicine and Director of Cairo University Hospitals, asserted that the Marburg virus is not new but has been known since the last century.
He explained that it does not transmit through breathing or droplets, but rather through body fluids, which makes the methods of prevention clear and specific.
During a phone interview with TV presenter Karima Awad on the Hadeeth Al-Qahira program broadcast on Al-Qahira Wal Nas channel, Hosny indicated that Egypt is taking strict precautionary measures, including detailed medical examinations for all arrivals from countries where the virus is spreading, to ensure citizen protection.
He clarified that no traveler from an epidemic-stricken country is allowed entry until complete preventive measures are applied, stressing that the Marburg virus “will not enter Egypt” due to the high level of health surveillance.
Hosny pointed out that the virus’s danger lies in its direct impact on the digestive system and the lack of a specialized cure, meaning medical intervention is limited to treating symptoms only.
He explained that the number of cases observed in Ethiopia does not exceed nine, which reflects that the situation is under control compared to viruses currently spreading in Egypt, such as seasonal flu, COVID-19, and the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), whose symptoms are mild at the moment.
