Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar declared that the E. coli bacteria is the primary cause of the severe stomach flu outbreak that has spread throughout Aswan.
The first results, which were obtained from samples taken from afflicted patients, were made public one week after locals expressed worries about the contamination of Aswan’s water reservoirs, which is usually how E. coli spreads.
As a result of the outbreak, hospital visits in Aswan have increased dramatically. Approximately 648 people have sought medical attention due to symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
According to the Egyptian Streets website 480 patients have received treatment for minor symptoms since September 11; 168 patients remain hospitalized, 36 of whom are elderly and in critical condition.
Although there have been five deaths in Aswan within the last week due to the outbreak, Abdel-Ghaffar also stated that it is still unclear whether the stomach infection is to blame.
He clarified that while the majority of E. Coli strains cause very moderate illness, some modified strains can cause more serious consequences.
