Egypt urges residents to close their windows as flies fill the air

Residents of Egypt have been told to close their windows as desert flies filled the air and could spread disease.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority issued the warning on Wednesday, saying desert flies had spread across cities as a result of “the Khamasin winds that Egypt was exposed to.”

They advised residents to close windows to prevent flies from entering homes.

Dr Mohamed Amin, an entomology professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, said desert flies feed on garbage, while some species feed on anything that has fermented, such as agricultural waste. They are typically no larger than a quarter of a centimetre and come in various colours, including blue, brown and black.

Amin told Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper that desert flies emerge during the Khamsin winds and hot weather, causing painful bites for humans and can transmit diseases such as anthrax. They also affect animals by reducing the amount of milk produced by cows and threaten food security by damaging agricultural crops.

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