Egypt Declares State of Emergency at Border Crossings to Prevent Cholera Spread from Sudan

The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population announced the raising of preparedness and emergency levels at all land, sea, and air ports to prevent the spread of cholera into the country, especially following the emergence of epidemic outbreaks in some neighboring countries. The ministry confirmed that Egypt’s epidemiological surveillance system is highly efficient and has been successfully tested during previous health pandemics. Egyptian media quoted the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, on Saturday, saying that the ministry issued instructions to heighten alertness and intensive monitoring, particularly at the land crossings with Sudan, such as the Arqin and Qustul ports, with strict precautionary measures. Quarantine procedures have also been enhanced at airports, ports, and border crossings to detect any cases coming from Sudan or other affected areas. Abdel Ghaffar noted that most cholera patients suffer from symptoms including severe watery diarrhea, rapid fluid loss, repeated vomiting, muscle cramps, and severe dehydration. Despite the heightened state of preparedness, Abdel Ghaffar confirmed that no cholera cases have been detected in Egypt so far, pointing out that cholera is not endemic in the country.