The head of the preventive medicine sector of the Ministry of Health, Amr Kandil, revealed the reasons for the accumulation in the spread of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in recent years.
In a phone interview with al-Hayat TV on Monday, Kandil said the rate of RSV spread in 2020 and 2021 decreased from what it is now, accounting for 15% of Egypt’s total respiratory viruses at the time.
He attributed this to the spread of the coronavirus in this period, which has resulted in greater use of precautionary measures than at present.
Kandil explained that the ministry has been tracking since last October until now that RSV makes up about 70% of respiratory viruses that spread among children.
The virus spreads most during the fall and winter, and mainly affects children under the age of five.
Egyptian Health and Population Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, at a press conference on Monday, reported that 1,611 cases of RSV have been detected so far.
The minister added that the incubation period is 4-6 days, it is transmitted by droplets and that its symptoms present with fever, headache and runny nose.
Abdel-Ghaffar that children suffering from immune diseases are at increased risk of infection.
The minister asked that all schoolchildren who show symptoms of the disease stay at home to avoid infecting others.
As for the lifestyles of a vaccine against the virus, Abdel-Ghaffar said that lately there is no complete vaccination against the syncytial virus.
However, he pointed out that there is a cure with monoclonal antibodies to protect against infection headaches, and that the remedy is rest and a healthy diet.