VZCZCXRO7128
PP RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTM
RUEHTRO
DE RUEHEG #1802/01 2591508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161508Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3643
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001802 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AIAG (DAVID WINN), NEA/ELA 
DEPT PASS TO AID (DENNIS CARROLL) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH PGOV EAGR CASC PREL EAID EG
SUBJECT: H1N1'S IMPACT ON EGYPT'S SCHOOL SYSTEM 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
1.(SBU) Key Points: 
 
--Egypt's Ministries of Health and Education are spearheading the 
GoE's H1N1 education planning and have outlined how the virus will 
impact the country's school system. 
 
--The GoE is prepared to close all of the country's schools and 
universities in the event of a H1N1 epidemic and have devised 
specific criteria in how they will make this decision. 
 
-- At this time, the GoE plans to allow the hajj to proceed although 
it will continue to maintain previously announced restrictions for 
potential pilgrims. 
 
¶2. (U) Emboff met with Dr. Nasr El-Sayed, first undersecretary for 
preventive and endemic affairs at the Ministry of Health (MoH), to 
discuss GoE H1N1 planning and its impact on the country's education 
system. El-Sayed oversees the MoH's influenza program and is a key 
advisor to Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabali. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Why is Egypt Delaying the School Year? 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Egypt's public schools and universities will begin classes 
on October 3.  El-Sayed explained that the GoE pushed back the 
original September 26 start date because of significant H1N1 
concerns.  More than 150,000 Egyptians are scheduled to return in 
the next week from Umra (a minor religious pilgrimage) in Saudi 
Arabia.  El-Sayed noted that "some of these people could be 
teachers, students, and schools employees" and could transmit the 
virus to other individuals in the schools.  He stated that waiting 
an additional seven to eight days would minimize the potential for 
infection in schools and universities. 
 
------------------------ 
Dedicated H1N1 Employees 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) As schools began preparing for the start of the year, the 
Ministry of Education (MoE) sent guidelines to all principals to 
select one employee to serve as each schools' H1N1 representative. 
This individual's responsibility is to determine if anyone in the 
school exhibits H1N1 symptoms - such as a high fever, sore throat, 
or persistent cough.  The representative has the authority to send 
home any individual with these symptoms and a medical doctor will 
then visit to monitor the situation.  If H1N1-like symptoms continue 
for more than 24-48 hours, the individual will be admitted to a 
local hospital with a dedicated H1N1 ward. If this individual is a 
student or teacher, the principal will then shutter that particular 
class for two weeks and students will be placed under surveillance 
for seven days at their homes. 
 
--------------- 
School Closures 
--------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Despite recent media speculation that governors can close 
schools in the event of H1N1 outbreaks, El-Sayed emphasized several 
times that only the MoH and MoE possess this authority.  This is a 
"national decision," to be undertaken jointly by the MoH and MoE, 
and "no one else." The ministries have the support of the Prime 
Minister in this decision-making process.  El-Sayed explained the 
criteria in how the ministries will approach any school closure.  If 
more than three H1N1 cases are confirmed at any school, the 
ministries will close that particular school for 2-4 weeks - the 
timeframe depends upon the severity of the infected individuals. 
 
¶6. (SBU) El-Sayed also noted that the ministries have devised H1N1 
criteria that would warrant closing the entire school system - from 
nursery schools to universities. For this to occur, the country 
would have to meet at least two of following three situations: 
 
-a tenfold increase in any given week of confirmed hospitalized H1N1 
cases 
-the mortality rate of hospitalized H1N1 cases rises above 2% 
-a 10% increase in the number of hospitalized H1N1 cases with 
respiratory problems 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to El-Sayed, schools and universities would be 
closed "indefinitely." In addition, the GoE would shut down what the 
MoH labels "social gathering places and events" - specifically 
mentioning movie theaters and sporting matches. Government 
ministries would not be affected and employees would continue to 
report to their jobs. 
 
CAIRO 00001802  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
------------------------ 
Al-Azhar Backs GoE Plans 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Egypt's religious leaders have agreed to support the MoH 
and MoE in their H1N1 preventive planning.  In a September 14 
meeting at Al Azhar mosque - the most important religious 
institution in the country - senior religious leaders and Al Azhar 
school directors agreed to support the MoH in all of their 
preventive planning regarding the country's school system.  These 
instructions were provided directly from Grand Imam Muhammad Sayyid 
Tantawi, the leader of Al Azhar's mosque and university.  He stated 
it was vital to follow MoH guidance concerning H1N1. 
 
----------------- 
What of the Hajj? 
----------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Despite rising H1N1 concerns, the GoE does not plan to stop 
Egyptians from undertaking hajj - which is likely to begin in late 
November. El-Sayed stressed that the MoH might revisit this decision 
later in the fall.  However, previously announced restrictions for 
hajj will remain in place.  According to the MoH, only adults 
between the ages of 25-65 years old will be allowed to travel for 
the hajj.  Other high-risk traveler categories barred from hajj 
include pregnant women, obese individuals, and those with chronic 
ailments (such as diabetes, hypertension, and kidney problems). 
 
Scobey