Egypt’s Health Ministry on Monday confirmed 647 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s tally up to 195,418, ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed announced.
The total number of COVID-19-related deaths has now reached 11,598 nationwide, after the ministry announced 41 deaths.
And 445 patients were discharged from quarantine at isolation hospitals, raising Egypt’s total number of fully-recovered cases to 149,934.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Sunday against an imminent third wave of coronavirus in Egypt, stressing the need to adhere to the precautionary measures.
During a speech on Mother’s Day, Sisi said that “Egypt survived the first and second waves, thanks to God, and Egypt is on the cusp of the third wave, and we hope that it will pass in good (without significant harm).”
Egypt launched its vaccination campaign on January 24.
The Health Ministry is currently working to vaccinate medical staff, people over the age of 65, and those with chronic illnesses. The ministry has opened registration for the jab online.
The country is currently using China’s Sinopharm vaccine for its campaign will soon receive a shipment of six million 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 February 24.
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.
Image: A man wearing a protective face mask walks near a granite symbol hand of peace, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Cairo suburb of Maadi, Egypt April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
