Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: The Coronavirus and the Propaganda War Against Egypt

The number of people infected with the influenza virus worldwide every year is estimated in the millions, and global death rates from seasonal influenza range between 291 thousand and 646 thousand people a year, depending on the severity of the circulating influenza strain, given the enormous capacity of viruses for rapid mutation. As for the new coronavirus, whose symptoms the World Health Organization has announced as the typical presentation of Middle East respiratory syndrome — fever, cough and/or shortness of breath — pneumonia is common, although some infected people have shown no symptoms. The organization's statistics on 2 March, which are updated in real time, indicate that confirmed infections number 89,252 people, that 45,215 people have recovered and that deaths number 3,085 people worldwide — a figure estimated at 1.06% of the lowest number of deaths from seasonal influenza mentioned above. Here we are not minimizing the scale or danger of this virus or any other virus. But what is striking is the extent of the propaganda war that accompanied the emergence of the coronavirus in China and the tracking of its movements across the countries of the world, making it the focus of the world's conversation on electronic communication sites. This led to a decline in economic growth in China to 2.% in the first quarter of 2020, and losses are expected to reach 62 billion dollars, 155% of the losses China suffered from the earlier SARS virus. How quickly infection with the new coronavirus spreads depends on the preventive measures the individual takes against disease, most notably personal hygiene. The state bears the burden of providing integrated health care according to quality standards, raising the efficiency of health service facilities, isolating and treating the infected, taking precautionary measures regarding arrivals at the various ports, and confronting the epidemic and all other dangers, and of announcing any suspected cases or infections — a role played by all the countries of the world regardless of their economic situation. The difference between Egypt and the developed countries lies in the level of cultural and health awareness among individuals, and the extent of their understanding of and compliance with disease prevention measures. The propaganda war against Egypt on the occasion of the coronavirus is part of the current propaganda war, from which each party seeks to achieve its goals. As usual, the media machines of the terrorist group and the bodies that fund and support it adopt the strategy of manufacturing lies, which rests on four axes: “propaganda, rumors, sedition and the fabrication of crises, and spreading terror and fear among citizens”. The group of evil launches false and inciting claims together with rumors, which are one of the weapons of psychological warfare, in order to mislead public opinion, stir up a spirit of doubt and suspicion, weaken the people's faith in national principles, and shake hope and confidence in the government and the leadership that have placed Egypt on the threshold of progress and development after achieving security stability, the key to sustainable economic development. These claims are promoted using communications technology and electronic communication sites, relying on jokes, mockery and ridicule against state institutions or their figures, to attract the largest number of comments or forwards of these messages to achieve the target and influence the psyche of the largest number of citizens and try to divide the government and the people. State institutions are making strenuous efforts to confront rumors, and we believe this is not enough unless there is a real development of individuals' awareness of national security and health security, and of belief in preventive measures, making them a way of life for the individual and the family. If we all stand together and think for a few moments before recycling news that casts doubt on what Egyptians have achieved on all levels [we will avoid that]; [otherwise] we will become contributors to weakening our self-confidence and contributors to circulating rotten news. All the countries of the world, including Egypt, are keen to announce any infections or suspected cases and to notify the World Health Organization immediately, not only out of transparency or responsibility, but to receive medical support and advice and to learn of the latest results of medical research and means of treatment; therefore concealing information is not in the interest of the state or of the citizen, who bears the responsibility of protecting national security and the nation's achievements and of complying with preventive measures. The heroism of the Egyptian people and its men in the armed forces and the members of the Police Authority, led by the Egyptian mother, and their sacrifices in confronting terrorism, are capable of meeting every challenge, whatever the crises.