Egypt has tightened the coronavirus restrictions ahead of the second wave of the pandemic, while a cabinet report affirmed that the country has a stock of drugs, used in the treatment of the COVID-19 disease, that lasts for up to 6-9 months.
President Abdul Fatah el-Sisi affirmed that the country dealt with the coronavirus crisis in scientific and balanced ways. He referred to the state’s adherence to preventive measures, preparation of isolation hospitals, and mobilization of relevant state institutions to address the pandemic.
The president paid tribute to the United Arab Emirates, referring to the first batch of Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm shots that arrived in Cairo on Thursday night from the Gulf.
The vaccine, which has been tested in the UAE and is said to be 86% effective, will be available for citizens for free upon Sisi’s directives.
The Health Ministry said Friday that 464 new coronavirus cases were detected, upping Egypt’s total to 120,611.
In a statement, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said 23 patients have died from complications caused by the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 6,877.
As many as 218 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 104,499 so far, the spokesman added.
Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed and Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawi showcased Saturday the procedures taken in efforts to raise the efficiency of all chest and fever hospitals across the country.
They agreed to intensify their efforts to curb the spread of the virus, as the country expects to witness a second wave of the disease.
During a meeting, Zayed and Shaarawi followed up on the progress of the Central Bank’s 1.4 billion initiative to support the health sector in Egypt.
The cabinet’s report revealed that the World Health Organization commended the way Egypt dealt with the virus and its efforts to curb its spread.
