Cairo: COVID-19 infections are currently under control in Egypt after authorities have enforced stringent measures to curb a recent spike in cases, according to a health official.
“The epidemiological situation of the coronavirus has come under control, a matter related to the people’s awareness and their abidance by all precautionary measures,” Dr Hossam Hosni, the head of a state committee tackling the novel coronavirus.
“Our situation is now far better than it was two weeks ago. The numbers of infections in Egypt are in decline,” he told private Egyptian television ON E.
The official said hospital occupancy rates especial at ICUs and cases on ventilators have dropped as a result.
However, he warned against self-complacency. “Corona is not over. We must continue to follow precautions in order to safely cross the spiralling stages. What has been achieved is control, but we cannot say the epidemic has ended. We have to maintain this degree of awareness or even increase it”
Earlier this month, Egyptian authorities reimposed strict anti-virus measures including the mandatory wearing of protective face masks on transport means, in banks, government agencies and malls. The government has also curtailed numbers of employees at workplaces as part of the precautions.
The Health Ministry reported Tuesday night 643 new virus cases and 55 related deaths, raising the country’s overall infections to 163, 129 and 9,067 fatalities.
Earlier this week, Egypt launched vaccinations against COVID-19, beginning with health workers to be followed later by the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
Last month, Egypt received the first batch of Sinopharm, the Chinese vaccine against COVID-19, from the UAE.
The country of over 100 million people has contracted the AstraZeneca company for vaccine supply. Egypt is expected to take delivery of 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine next month, Health Minister Dr Hala Zayed said Wednesday.
