Egypt

COVID-19 in Egypt: 595 new cases, 49 deaths on Sunday

Egypt’s Health Ministry on Sunday confirmed 595 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases up to 182,424 ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed announced.

The total number of COVID-19-related deaths has now reached 10,688 nationwide, after the ministry announced 49 deaths.

And 432 patients were discharged from quarantine at isolation hospitals, raising Egypt’s total number of fully-recovered cases to 140,892.

The Ministry of Health and Population on Sunday has began registering elderly citizens and patients with underlying chronic health conditions and who wish to obtain the coronavirus vaccine through a website established for this purpose.

Egypt’s second wave hit its peak on December 30, when the health ministry reported 1,411 new cases. Case numbers experienced a sharp decline in January, but are now stabilizing, with the seven-day average hovering between 600 and 621 since February 15.

Government officials continue to urge authorities to strictly enforce the country’s mask mandate, which applies to all public transportation and indoor public spaces.

Egypt launched its vaccination campaign on January 24. The Health Ministry is currently working to vaccinate medical staff first, reporting on Sunday that almost all workers at fever and chest hospitals have received their first dose.

The vaccine will cost no more than LE200 per person, Health Minister Hala Zayed announced on Tuesday, with low-income folks eligible to get their doses for free.

Egypt is currently using China’s Sinopharm vaccine for its campaign and has received doses of the UK’s AstraOxford vaccine. The ministry also plans to employ Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccine, once it makes its way to Cairo.

AstraOxford and Sputnik-V received emergency approval from the Egyptian Drug Authority on Wednesday.

So far, 100 million doses of the vaccine have been secured by the ministry, which is enough to vaccinate roughly half of Egypt’s population.

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