The Egyptian Health Ministry and the World Health Organization announced that officials identified 12 asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 amongst passengers aboard a cruise ship on the Nile River.
Specifically, it is reported that a former passenger from the vessel, a Taiwanese national with dual US citizenship, was positively tested for COVID-19 after returning home, prompting tests of those currently onboard.
Local media stated that the travel plan began in Aswan and ended in Luxor, a popular cruise route.
It is known that all 12 identified cases were Egyptian nationals. An unspecified number of passengers from the vessel have been quarantined. The new confirmed cases raise the number of the known cases in Egypt to 55, according to the live map.
Concerning asymptomatic carriers, WHO informs that it defines those who have been infected but do not yet show any symptoms. They are being identified through contact-tracing efforts aimed at testing people who have come into contact with known cases.
COVID-19 precautionary measures
- Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
- Frequent handwashing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
- Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
- People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands.
