25 November 2009

Swine Flue Fears for Hajj PILGRIMS


CAIRO- Vaccinations for meningitis, seasonal flu, yellow fever, and for the H1N1 are being distributed before civilians leave their country to the hajj. Before the vaccination is applied, a complete check-up on the individual is required to make sure the person is healthy. The process includes the following: a complete physical, including blood tests, chest x-rays and electrocardiograms. Other countries mandating the vaccine are China, Turkey, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and more. 



Reliability: 6

Comment: Three million people from 160 countries will gather for the worship. While Muslims view it as a spiritual experience, this gathering welcomes an opportunity of major outbreaks and further global spread and civilians return home. 



23 November 2009

Egypt Reports 10th Swine Flu Death


CAIRO: Egypt's tenth death was reported on November 22 caused by the swine flu. The victim was a 48-year-old woman who was hospitalized Saturday night, and died the next day. Ministry officials report the woman was suffering from a high fever, asthma, and diabetes. However, the death was caused by the the worsening of these symptoms and condition by the swine flu. 

Nine out of the ten  cases have been women and health authorities are concerned. Till this day, approximately 3,000 cases have been reported caused by the swine flu. At least six schools have closed due to major outbreak concerns. 

H1N1, swine flu, vaccinations are still in the process of distribution among pilgrims participating in the annual Hajj at the end of November. Sanitary precautions are highly recommend since three million people are prone to infection. Major distress is the spread among people back in their local communities. Restrictions were officially imposed to prohibit the attendance of children and elderly in the annual pilgrims to decrease the possibilities of fatal outcomes. 



Reliability: 8 

16 November 2009

Egypt: Seventh Death Reported


DUBAI- Egypt's seventh fatality caused by the swine flu was reported. The victim was a 37- year old woman. Newspaper reported she was in the hospital on November 11th due to pneumonia and died to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 



(Reliability: 8)

Comment: As of November 14th, the total number of cases raise to 2,607. 

11 November 2009

Egypt: Student's Struggle for Education


As the Ministry of Health continues to close private and public schools all throughout Egypt due to the augmentation in the number of swine flu cases, thousands of parents' concerns for their children's education increase. Parents look for alternates for education, but fail to find a solution. Private lessons are expensive and private schools are being forced to close also. Parents worry that their children might not even be able to take their end-of-semester exams on January as planned. 
The Ministry of Health announced 466 confirmed cases among the student population. Therefore, the Ministry of Education has closed at least 22 schools and quarantined students inside their classrooms of those schools that still open.  The increment  in number of cases along with pneumonia, will lead the Ministry of Education to close all schools across the nation. 


(Reliability: 8)

Comment: Approximately, 1,746 people have recovered from the H1N1, others are continue to be treated. 

09 November 2009

Cairo University Satellite Imagery

Image 1.
Image 2.
Image 3.

Image Description

The photographs of Cairo University of Egypt provided were extracted from satellite imagery by Google Earth. The primary image (attached) is at an eye altitude of 785 meters, the secondary at 467 meters, and the third at 253 meters.  The primary image exhibits the main highways that surround the university. The main university building has a half spherical structure above the building. The building sits on a large tract of rectangular land in which several smaller complexes surround it with a major concentration in the west side. There is a large rectangular visible area and a circular area north and east from the main building respectively where vegetation is visible. There is also a three-dimensional building east from the university. 


Intelligence Usefulness

Image is useful for strategic and operational intelligence. For strategic planning, the images may be somewhat unstable. The trees north and east from the main university building could be cut off and other buildings may be constructed in those areas. However the rest of the buildings, highways and roads are stable. Further construction of main buildings and roads to facilitate access to the university will be fairly visible through this type of imagery. 

Operationally, when attacking the university aerially, the university is vulnerable, and thousands of students, faculty and staff will undoubtedly be at risk. However, ground approach can only be made through various checkpoint areas. Parking lot is readily scattered and a short distance from the main building and the rest of the university buildings. However, parking permits are advised to better monitor the area (if applicable). Damage to those buildings through an explosion can be predicted. Biological or chemical agent attacks would be possible as well. 


Shortcomings

An image is limited to provide all information due to the limited view it provides, and therefore has a little tactical value.  These images only provide an external top view of a particular area of the earth's surface.  We can see buildings, their surroundings, vegetation, main roads, bodies of water, etc. In addition, we can see the size of the building as well as few entrances, but we are not able to see security nor precisely nor functions and activities taking place in the university. All possible threats that can occur externally or internally can not be predicted through these images. Therefore, other sources will be required to know more about these unobservable actions. 


Summary

Cairo University is an institute of higher education; it includes law school, and medical school. This school is one of the most important and biggest university in Egypt where a disaster would result as a disastrous tragedy. Currently, it is one of the most active universities in combating the swine flu. The large area the university covers that is observed in the images, demonstrates potential capacity of the large number of students and faculty. Students are in constant contact with each other and papers and books are frequently passed from individual to individual, which puts them a higher risk in acquiring the swine flu. However, this internal threat cannot be observed nor predicted through satellite imagery. Cairo University is vulnerable to internal and external threats. 

08 November 2009

Israel Transfers 5,000 H1N1 Vaccinations to Gaza


TEL AVIV- Israel transferred 5,000 H1N1 vaccinations to Gaza for Hajj pilgrims leaving to Saudi Arabia through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Additional 20,000 swine flu vaccinations were allowed into Ramallah in the West bank by Israel. A total of 300,000 vaccinations were received by Israel for the H1N1 flu and people at a higher risk are already being vaccinated.



(Reliability: 7)

Comment: Gaza is a large Palestinian city located in Gaza Strip city. This crossing had been closed since 2007 by Israel and Egypt. Vaccinations received by pilgrims crossing through the Egypt's crossing in Rafah may decrease the probability of spread of the swine flu in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

03 November 2009

Egypt Reports 6th Death Caused by Swine Flu


CAIRO: Number of deaths from the infection of the H1N1 virus swine flu climbs up to 6. Five of those deaths have been women. The 6th victim was 23 years old woman from Giza who was diagnosed with the virus on October 28, and passed away in the hostipal Monday morning, November 2. The previous day, the death of a 9 year old boy from the same cause in Helwan, south of Cairo. On October 30th, an Egyptian woman was reported dead in Ismailia.
The first death in Egypt was announced in June, now the total nuber of Swine Flu cases are more than 1,000.
As the sixth death was reported, the ministry reported the arrival of 70,000 vaccines. These vaccines will be distributed to pilgrims attending the hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia at the end of November.
Officials are hoping the vaccines will prevent further spread, yet fear pilgrims will contract the virus and spread throught out their home country.



(Reliability: 10)

01 November 2009

Swine Flu Increases Private Tuition in Egypt

Eighteen universities have reinforced hygeine in efforts to prevent swine flu infection spread. The continious increase in swine flu cases have augmented fear in parents for their school children and have been sending them to private tuiton classes. The Information and Decision-Supporting Centre, a government agency, has stated that attendance rates at schools and universities exceed 90%. However, professors at public universities, state otherwise, attendance is dramatically decreasing. Universities have rescheduled lecture timetables to depress class size.
Private lessons are not allowed by Egyptian law, but Egyptian parents are still sending their children to private teaching centres to decrease the probability of becoming diseased from attending the high density classes. The costs have escalated to LE16 billion (US $3 billion), and may continue was the nunber swine flu cases progress.


Source: http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20091031122041912

(Reliability: 8)