The number of mumps cases in schools across Egypt reached 583 on Monday. Education Ministry media advisor Mohamed al-Sorogy stated that no schools have yet been closed due to the outbreak, however.
Sorogy claimed that, according to doctors, the mumps do not cause death, unlike illness like the avian or swine flu.
Giza Governorate has so far reported the most number of cases, with 240. Minya has reported 95, Beni Suef 48 and Fayoum 38, with Cairo reporting only 12. The rest of the 17 governorates hit by the outbreak have each reported between seven and nine mumps cases.
Mohsen George, head of the Executive Directorate of Education in Alexandria, stated that there have been 52 reported cases in Alexandria schools, according to a memo sent by the Health Department Directorate of in Alexandria.
Dozens of schools in Minya and Qena began reporting cases of the mumps in late September. At that time human rights organizations expressed fears that the virus would spread due to the lack of preventative vaccines, and general neglect from the Healthy Ministry.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
