Egypt strengthens border controls amid regional cholera outbreak

The Egyptian Ministry of Health announced that it has significantly increased surveillance at all border crossings to detect any potential cases of cholera. This precautionary measure, announced on Wednesday August 28, comes in response to recent outbreaks of the disease in neighboring countries, although Egypt has not reported any confirmed cases, as cholera is not endemic to the country.

In light of the cholera outbreaks in surrounding nations, the Ministry of Health has stepped up preventive measures, with a particular focus on land border crossings. Travelers arriving from Sudan are subject to thorough screening to identify any symptoms of the disease.

The intensified monitoring aims to safeguard public health by preventing the disease from crossing into Egypt, thereby protecting the country from a potential outbreak, spokesperson for the Health Ministry Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said.

He assured the public that most cholera cases can be effectively treated with oral rehydration solutions. However, patients experiencing severe dehydration may need intravenous fluids and antibiotics for proper treatment, he said.