Heat wave leaves 61 Egyptians dead: Health Ministry
Health authorities in Egypt say more than 60 people have lost their lives over the past few days in a heat wave that has seen temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the North African country.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, a spokesman of the Egyptian Health Ministry, said on Wednesday that a total of 61 people died and 768 others went heat-stricken between last Saturday and Tuesday evening.
He added that 348 people suffered heat stroke in Egypt’s most populated governorate of Cairo alone.
Abdel Ghaffar said that 434 people have been dismissed from hospital after receiving medical treatment, while another 334 remain hospitalized.
The top Egyptian health official also urged Egyptians, especially the elderly and all those suffering from chronic diseases, to stay indoors and not leave their houses unless in cases of urgency.
He also dismissed reports of a viral outbreak in Egypt, attributing the deaths only to the sweltering heat. “We do not have a viral outbreak in Egypt. What we have is a heat wave that can cause death like any other country in the world,” Abdel Ghafar said.
“The ministry of health has been transparent since day one regarding the numbers of victims in the heat wave. If there is a viral outbreak, we will not hide it,” he said.
According to Egypt’s Health Ministry, 10 patients from El-Khanka psychiatric hospital in Qalioubiya governorate north of Cairo died from the heat.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that three detainees at Shubra El-Kheima police station died in custody due to the heat, over-crowding and poor ventilation.
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