- MB NewsPrisoners of Conscience
- October 5, 2009
- 2 minutes read
Possible cases of “Swine Flu” behind bars in Egypt trigger fear of epidemic.
The appearance of H1N1 (Swine Flu), in Egyptian detention, prisons and places of confinement has been brought to the attention of authorities where necessary precautions have to be implemented.
The emergence of the disease caused panic when 5 detainees in the Haram Precinct earlier this week suffered high temperatures as a result of the flu. Administrators and doctors from Giza set out to the precinct to inspect the cases and view its seriousness referring the cases to Imbaba Hospital for necessary tests.
In a related issue three cases have been quarantined after symptoms of the flu were evident in the same prison in which members of the Muslim Brotherhood who are charged with “global networking” are detained. There are more than 1000 political prisoners and law-offenders detained in the Prison. The prisons’ administration has taken necessary measurements to ensure the safety of the inmates by limiting visitation rights of the families.
Hafez Abu Seeda from the Human Rights watch has called for the forming of a health committee to document and study the cases in an effort to keep the disease at bay by checking in on the prisons and handing in health reports on a regular basis. Moreover he called for the immediate release of detainees who suffer or have health conditions including heart problems and immunity defects since they were more liable to contract infection.