COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

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COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by newcastle »

LATESTPOLAND
Egypt. Marsa Alam. 140 tourists from Poland with a positive test for coronavirus
By
polishnews
October 10, 2020


Instead of lounging on the beach, there is a vacation in hotel rooms. 140 Polish tourists in Marsa Alam are in isolation after having tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on the spot. – There was no information about the procedures. We also didn’t get a documented result from our tests, one of the grounded people tells us.

Two planes with customers of one of the travel agencies flew to Egypt on Tuesday, October 6 from the airports in Katowice and Warsaw. A total of 360 people. Egypt requires test results from tourists, so you can either do it in the country before departure or after landing for $ 30.

At the airport near Marsa Alam, many people had nasal swabs taken, but – according to vacationers – it was done without maintaining hygiene standards. The doctor wasn’t even supposed to change gloves. The results were to come the next day. Tourists have gone to several hotels and have already made their way to a bar, restaurant or swimming pool. The idyll was interrupted by phone calls from the reception desk in the middle of the night from Wednesday to Thursday. 140 people found out about the positive test result and were ordered to isolate in their rooms, or to move to separate pavilions.

“There was no information”

The doctor was supposed to contact us the next day. There was no information on how long the quarantine was to last, or how it should proceed. The next day, we waited all day for information from the doctor, I called the resident and the reception a few times, but there was absolutely no information about the procedures. We also did not get a documented result of our positive tests, says Mrs. Gabriela, one of the people in the isolation.

Polish tourists doubt the quality of the tests carried out. According to them, the truthfulness of the results is undermined by examples of marriages where the man tested positive and the woman tested negative, or families with children where all but one child tested positive.

– We would like to receive further tests, together with confirmation that they are indeed carried out in the right way, in the right conditions and we can rely on their result – adds the woman.

The travel agency has already commissioned randomly repeated tests. The tourists are expected to receive the results soon. A positive will mean further isolation in the hotel room. Negative will open the way to return to the country.

In Katowice, the procedures are preserved

The TVN24 reporter spoke on Saturday with the press spokesman of the Katowice airport. He assured that all procedures related to the sanitary regime were followed on their part.

– The temperature of all passengers entering the terminal has been measured. In this case, no one was found to be elevated. All passengers are required to wear masks, disinfect their hands and must maintain social distance, which is facilitated by appropriate signs on the floor or stretched barriers – says Cezary Orzech, airport spokesman.

https://www.polishnews.co.uk/egypt-mars ... px9ilGEiws

Needless to say, the tourists concerned queried the accuracy of the tests and, when they were re-performed, only 4 of the guests showed positive.

Only in Egypt :lol:


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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by Who2 »

140 ? So did they all have it before boarding ? One doubts sitting in a sardine can with 200 people
for 5 hours, that the (HEPA) recycled air is fit for purpose.
And on second thoughts, what bit of pandemic don't they understand ?..... 8)
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by newcastle »

Only 4 proved positive on retesting.

The shambolic nature of the procedure at Marsa Alam should ring alarm bells....considering how many tourists are now opting for the test on arrival route.

Is Egypt - in its rush to encourage tourism - opening the door to COVID -19?
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by BBLUX »

Call me a sceptic but the $30 per test would seem to be the driving force for Egypt.
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by newcastle »

BBLUX wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:43 pm Call me a sceptic but the $30 per test would seem to be the driving force for Egypt.
Indeed.

The practicalities of getting a test before travelling within 72 hrs.....and the cost of around £150....is driving more and more Red Sea tourists to the test on arrival option.

From what I have heard, the testing mechanics are far from rigorous and there are plenty of opportunities for an infected arrival to spread the virus to their fellow passengers and to the residents of their hotel before they are quarantined.

I am also hearing that the regulations supposedly implemented to enable hotels to operate are being flouted with the clientele largely ignoring social distancing and mask wearing. Maybe they believe the story, widely held by Egyptians, that Egypt is now free of the virus!

Anyone for a foam party! :lol:

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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by Major Thom »

What is happening in Luxor with the virus, is it high, low or have they still not got anyone with the virus. Its all gone fairly quiet! Is it just they do not want other Countries to know....
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by newcastle »

Major Thom wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 4:06 pm What is happening in Luxor with the virus, is it high, low or have they still not got anyone with the virus. Its all gone fairly quiet! Is it just they do not want other Countries to know....
No sign of it in Luxor.

Scientists reckon that it’s mutated to a form which only affects inhabitants of Mediterranean islands.

Nothing to worry about.... 8)
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by carrie »

A friend told me that his girlfriend had arrived at Hurghada airport had the test wasn't asked where she intended to stay and never took any contact details.
If it was to prove positive there is no way she could be traced.
But no matter, as Newcastle says perhaps the virus only affects people on primitive Mediterranean islands.
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Re: COVID-19 scare in Marsa Alam

Post by newcastle »

carrie wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:51 pm A friend told me that his girlfriend had arrived at Hurghada airport had the test wasn't asked where she intended to stay and never took any contact details.
If it was to prove positive there is no way she could be traced.
But no matter, as Newcastle says perhaps the virus only affects people on primitive Mediterranean islands.
Well.....Hurghada’s testing arrangements will soon be academic. At least for Brits.

Boris’ announcement of a lockdown seems to imply that all travel for recreational purposes is banned from Thursday. I doubt there are sufficient “workers” travelling from U.K. to Egypt to warrant EasyJet or anyone else flying here from UK.
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