EGYPT: American University suspends classes over swine flu

The detection of swine flu in a dormitory has prompted the American University in Cairo - a prestigious private institution that has been operating in Egypt for 95 years - to suspend classes, university officials and the Egyptian health authorities said. Last week swine flu was detected among seven American exchange students residing in a university dormitory in Cairo's upmarket Zamalek quarter.

"The infected students are Americans, who have arrived recently in Cairo for a law course," Amr Salama, the university's advisor, told Egyptian official TV. He added that the students, who tested positive for the A/H1N1 virus, were taken to a fever hospital in Cairo where they are recovering. They are enrolled in the Seton Hall University's summer law exchange programme.

Concerned about an outbreak of swine flu among its population of 80 million people, the Egyptian authorities quarantined the multi-storey dormitory.

Mask-wearing police stand guard aside barriers set up near the dormitory building where 103 students and 124 faculty and staff members - mostly foreigners - are staying. No-one is allowed in or out of the building. Food is delivered to the quarantined students and employees through medical professionals, according to officials.

The American University in Cairo, or AUC, which has two campuses in central Cairo and outside the Egyptian capital, said classes will resume on Monday.

"The decision follows confirmation by the Egyptian Ministry of Health that all tests taken from the AUC community for H1N1 flu are negative," the university said in a statement. "Beginning 11 June, the university started taking all necessary steps to ensure the full sanitisation of all classrooms, meeting spaces and all laboratory facilities on both campuses,"

"To allay any additional concerns for members of the AUC community returning to work and classes, the university will offer health briefings and H1N1 information sessions on Sunday (today) and Monday (tomorrow). Sessions will be scheduled on both the New Cairo Campus and the Tahrir Square Campus (downtown)," the statement continued.

The university said it would also provide fact sheets for the AUC community in English and Arabic, which will answer frequently asked questions and provide guidance on what precautions to take to avoid catching the flu.

The AUC has 1,500 faculty and staff, and more than 5,550 students - 1,000 of whom are from outside Egypt.

Brian MacDougall, the AUC's Vice-president of Planning and Administration and chair of the university's emergency management team, said the AUC School of Continuing Education at the university's downtown 19-acre campus, where the Seton Hall Programme was set to take place, postponed its summer semester. The semester was scheduled to commence on 15 June and end on 1 July.

The Egyptian government has denied rumours that end-of-year examinations at universities and schools will be postponed.

Hard hit by avian flu, Egypt is at pains to head off an outbreak of swine flu. On 29 April the authorities ordered culling of the country's estimated 35,000 pigs. They have also installed thermal units at airports and harbours to check all arrivals for the virus.

Last week, Egypt reported the first swine flu case on its territory and in Africa - in a US girl, who had arrived on a holiday. She was taken to a Cairo hospital where she recovered before leaving the country.

The World Health Organisation has declared that swine flu has become a global pandemic.