CAIRO: Thousands of oral rehydration solution sachets, similar to those blamed for the recent death of at least eight children, were reportedly seized Tuesday in pharmacies in Egypt’s Mediterranean governorate of Alexandria, Youm7 reported.
The seizure of the sachets was made during an extensive inspection campaign carried out by officials from Alexandria’s health directorate on several pharmacies. So far, 3,000 solutions have been seized in the city, according to Youm7.
In late July, three hospitals in Upper Egypt’s governorate of Beni Suef have received some 30 children with common symptoms of intestinal catarrh. At least eight of the children died so far along with other 32 were infected after they received the same rehydration solution in the hospitals.
The oral rehydration solutions “does not meet health specifications and standards,” Egypt’s Health Minister Abdel Adawy said late July.
The number of children suffering from the said symptoms is “normal,” health ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar told The Cairo Post in July. The hot weather currently seen in Egypt is behind the sickness of the children, according to Abdel Ghaffar.