By Kenneth Changpertitum

All measures to control and reduce the spread of malaria have been taken, said Minister of Health Adel Hassan Al-Adawi in a Sunday statement.

“The number of cases of the disease have so far amounted to 13, two of which are showing signs of improved health, while 11 are continuing to receive treatment at Edfu Fever Hospital,” he added.

He further said the effort was done in coordination with the director of the regional office of the World Health Organisation to detect the disease accurately and to use pharmaceuticals treatment.

The statement was released during a visit of the minister to the malaria fever hospital in Edfu, Aswan and the village where the outbreak originally occurred. The ministry assured residents that healthcare would be provided to those infected, according to the statement.

“A team of doctors, engineers and lab technicians were formed to stay in the centre of Edfu to follow up on the health situation there and to provide therapeutic and medical services in all possible cases,” the statement added.

In addition, the ministry said they had sent a team of health observers last Thursday to monitor all suspected contaminations.

The ministry raised the maximum readiness in hospitals in Aswan and is training doctors in dealing with malaria, according to the statement.

Al-Adawi issued strict instructions to the hospitals in Aswan to provide all means of health care for the infected in cases of malaria, the statement said.

“A treatment plan has been developed to receive any patients infected with the disease,” the minister said, adding that efforts were taken for “early detection and surveillance of the disease”.

 Blood samples have been taken from 561 people in the village and the habitats of mosquito larvae have been sprayed, the statement said, and education about the disease will also be provided to residents.

Al-Adawi pointed out that a suspected case Saturday had turned out negative for the disease.