In an unwelcome throwback to 2020, the airwaves were once again consumed by news of a virus spreading across the globe as the nation’s talking heads discussed the spread of mpox following the World Health Organization declaring the situation a global health emergency. A cholera outbreak in Sudan that killed at least 22 people also caught the attention of the talk shows.

We’re in the clear, says the Health Ministry: No confirmed or suspected cases of mpox have been recorded in Egypt until this moment, Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said in a phone call with El Sa’a El Sadesa’s Azza Mostafa (watch, runtime: 9:35). Precautionary measures that were already in place at sea, air, and land ports were reinforced and tightened following the WHO’s announcement, he said. Additionally, medical staff have been retrained for early detection, with the government implementing stricter and faster controls to minimize the possibility of mpox entering the country, Abdel Ghaffar added.

The country is also on guard to tackle worries of a cholera outbreak: Egypt has taken a set of strict measures on its ports following the outbreak of cholera in Sudan, Abdel Ghaffar told Ahmed Moussa the day before on Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 2:33). The ministry is carrying out continuous monitoring of the situation and updating cholera prevention protocols, with Egypt having already taken precautionary measures since the start of the war in Sudan to guard against the spread of diseases, Abdel Ghaffar added.

ALSO ON THE AIRWAVES- The restructuring of Thanaweya Amma continued to get airtime for the nth time, with Ala Masouleety’s Ahmed Moussa calling up Deputy Education Minister Ayman Bahaa Eldin, who provided a detailed explanation of the new system (watch, runtime: 57:46). Moussa also hosted several education experts to discuss the system and its impact on all stakeholders in the education sector (watch, runtime: 47:37).

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