While incidents of violence are rare, purse snatching, pickpocketing and petty theft are not uncommon. Unescorted women are vulnerable to sexual harassment and verbal abuse. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State's pamphlets, A Safe Trip Abroad and Tips for Travelers to the Middle East and North Africa , to promote a trouble-free journey. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo can provide a list of local hospitals and English-speaking physicians.
Medical facilities are adequate for non-emergency matters, particularly in tourist areas.
Emergency and intensive care facilities are limited. Facilities outside Cairo fall short of U.S. standards. Most Nile cruise boats do not have a ship's doctor, but some employ a medical practitioner of uncertain training. Hospital facilities in Luxor and Aswan are inadequate, and they are nonexistent at most other ports of call. Beaches on the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts are generally unpolluted.